METROID: Splice Of The Archetypes
by DonovanGordon-TheSilencedOne
Summary: Follow along with me as I shamelessly insert myself into a world wrought with confusion and fright as our dimension collides head-on with the Metroid universe in this strange but entertaining adventure! [Metroid self insert]
1. Chapter 1

The spatial wastes lay still and silent, countless stars twinkling lonesome in the distance, their unreachable silver faces spotting the inky black endlessness. Dark matter flowed graciously through the incalculable space between the endless suns and their accompanying planets, filling the void with that which cannot be seen.

Suddenly, there was a tremor. The very fabric of reality seemed to shift momentarily before settling. For a while, everything remained in place. Once again, there came another shock, and then another. The synapse-like pulses slowly increased in frequency, becoming stronger and stronger with every burst.

The nothingness began to bulge and swell in a place that had no solidity. Elements that were not there began to fuse and react to a force that did not exist. The swelling continued at a steady pace, relentlessly pushing the boundaries of the dimension's tripartite.

Without warning, the celestial calmness took back its place.

Moments passed; everything was still…

...then, calamity.


	2. Chapter 2

A cacophony of crackling buzzers and flashing lights filled the large room as astronomers and physicists moved hurriedly about, checking their devices and scanners, trying to process what they were seeing. The chamber wallowed in restless chaos, the massive screens overhead showcasing what appeared to be the digital model of some kind of ripple.

A tall man clad in a decorative military uniform strode through the sliding glass doors, accompanied by various guards. He looked about, observing the turmoil before him, "Talk to me!"

"Something happened, sir," one of the astronomers shouted over the uproar, "Something out there."

"_What_ happened? I need answers, people!"

"We're running scans as we speak, sir." Another worker assured.

Suddenly, the image on the overhead monitors began to change. Simulated waves snaked through the computerized ripple, creating tears in the digital fabric. A gaping hole opened up at its center, widening as the workers looked on in complete disbelief.

"What is that? What are we seeing?" the officer demanded, eyeing the display suspiciously.

The head astrophysicist gazed upon the screen with wide eyes, "Sir…that is a wormhole.

* * *

The clunky echo of leathery footsteps reverberated throughout the small room as the Secretary of Defense paced back and forth, struggling to wrap his brain around what he had been told. The nearby table of scientists sat anxiously, awaiting his response.

"Look…I don't care about your egg-head statistics, nor do I care about how amazing this may seem to you all…" he finally said, "what I want to know is how does this affect _us?_ Is this something we should be concerned about? How do we know we're not in danger?"

The head specialist leaned forward, "Sir, what occurred out there is entirely beyond our own human comprehension. Many are speculating that what we are witnessing is a phenomenon originally thought to be impossible…an archetype splice."

"A what?"

"A rip in space time creating a sort of rift giving way to a whole other universe entirely."

Those seated looked about almost nervously.

"Wait, wait, wait, back up…are you telling me that what we're looking at is another plane of reality _altogether?_"

"…yes."

"How is that possible?"

"Theoretically…it isn't."

One of the others piped up, "That's why this is so troubling…it doesn't matter what we do, we just can't seem to make sense of it."

"From what we've been able to tell," the main scientist continued, "something happened _between_ our dimension and whatever may lie beyond that tear…something that defied everything we currently know about physics beyond the stratosphere."

"This is all _very fascinating_ Mr. Ortiz, it really is…" the Secretary condescended, "But you still haven't answered my question: _Should we be concerned?_"

The table exchanged uneasy glances with one another. Dr. Ortiz cleared his throat, "To tell you the truth, sir, we don't know. There's no telling what could be on the other side of that thing…that being said, it certainly wouldn't hurt to take precautions."

A grave expression overtook the Secretary as he turned to the nearby warrant officer, "Get the president on the phone. Alert the Fleet Admiral and the Generals; I want everything mobilized at 16:00 hours."

Slowly, the veteran turned his attention back to the group, "I want you all to return to your stations. Keep twenty-four hour rotations running and _stay vigilant_. I want an update every time a damn pixel flickers, do I make myself clear? Whether or not this phenomenon is something to be feared is irrelevant at this point…this is now a matter of national security. Dismissed."


	3. Chapter 3

"…and…done!" Donovan announced excitedly, leaning back in his chair as he hit the publish option on the brightly-lit screen before him. He took a deep breath, revelling in his sense of satisfaction, "After over a year and a half of on and off writing, Fusion: Desolation is finally brought to its well-anticipated close."

"_Anticipated?_" His friend scoffed, looking up from his phone, "Dude, you have a total of, like, fourteen followers."

"_Fifteen, _Gray, watch it."

"Fifteen, whatever…you think they'll like it?"

"Oh yeah, the reception's been pretty good so far…"

Gray nodded, gazing out the nearby window.

"I'm just worried that they might not like the ending," Donovan continued, rubbing his chin, "I mean, don't get me wrong, I think it's a _great_ ending; it sends you speeding down an emotional roller-coaster, only to guide you gently into a soft cushion of hope."

"That's an…_interesting_ way of describing it, but I think I get what you're saying…"

"Personally, I think it's quite beautiful."

"Well, then that's all you need." His friend concluded, brushing his long hair aside, "The way I see it, as long as it makes _you_ happy, you've succeeded. Remember Don, it's no different than that weird wasteland armor you like to Jerry-rig; it's art…there are no rules. _No one _can tell you what to do."

The writer smiled, "That's what I like about you, Grayson; you always know what to say."

"_Speaking of which_, I'm going out for drinks, you coming?"

"You better bet your ass, bud!"

"That's the spirit, let's go!"

Donovan couldn't help but grin as he hopped up, following his friend out into the cold mid-autumn air. Outside, Gray's red Plymouth roared to life.

* * *

The rumble of the car's vintage engine sounded all throughout the vehicle's frame, sending dull vibrations through the leather-wrapped seats. Street lights whizzed by as the old car ripped down the highway, making its way into the city.

"So…" Gray began, shattering the long-held silence, "Did you hear about that thing they observed out by Mars?"

Donovan raised an eyebrow, "No…care to enlighten me?"

"Dude, they found a wormhole."

"_A what?_"

"How have you not heard about this? It's downright _earth-shattering…_maybe, in some ways, even literally. It happened just today at around eleven-thirty or something…everyone is losing their mind over it, and understandably so. It's interesting, though; something that a lot of people never thought to be possible is sitting right at our doorstep, spitting in the faces of all those who ever dared to doubt it."

Donovan couldn't believe his ears. He sat, speechlessly stupefied. All his life, he had been enthralled with the idea of space and the unknown. He'd often spend hours gazing up at the stars at night, wondering just how far each one of them was, how old they were, what planets orbited them. The books he'd read concerning interstellar travel, astronomy and planetary discovery could fill a library.

"Man…my brain doesn't even know how to process all of this." He remarked, "Am I- am I tripping balls right now? Like, this really happened, right? You're not messing with me?"

"You'd better believe it really happened; they're calling it the greatest discovery in human history!"

"Yeah, I'd _hope_ so. Did they mention how big it was?"

"I don't know, they were pretty slim on the details, but from what they described, I'd reckon you could fit the whole moon into it."

The young man's eyes went wide, "Fuck."

"Yeah. Pretty crazy."

Donovan leaned back, peering out through the car window, gazing upon the quickly-darkening sky up above. His glassy eyes skimmed over the dim aerial speckles, losing himself as he began to drift in his head. His consciousness ran wild with all the varying notions and possibilities that this discovery might bring, his incessant excitement overruling the faint anxious worry festering in the back of his mind. What would become of all of this? There was so much to question, so much to consider… The young man racked his brain, struggling to understand the grandeur of the situation. In the end, he found himself certain of only one thing: the world would never be the same.

The course of human history had been forever changed.


	4. Chapter 4

Slender bolts of superheated plasma discharged from the wormhole in every perceivable direction, only serving to increase the intensity of its presence. In just a few short hours, the otherworldly orifice had nearly doubled in size, dwarfing Earth's moon by an unimaginable margin. Already, countries from all over the globe had probes enroute to the void-bound spectacle, each nation more ravenous than the next.

Down on American soil, large teams of scientists and rocket engineers worked together, doing everything in their power to ensure fidelity of the information transfers between them and the probes…and that they were not beaten to the anomaly. So far, India was in the lead.

"We are _not_ letting them get to that thing before us, do you hear me?" barked the head coordinator, "We're Americans, dammit! We have spearheaded thousands of historical exploration and discovery exhibitions over the years, we are second to _none! _We _will _get there first!"

"Sir, the Chinese are gaining on us, Russians approaching fast…" one of the scientists warned.

"Engage hyper thrust, do _not_ let them pass!"

"Sir, we're already at full speed," an engineer protested, "the nuclear transformers are overheating, I don't know how much more they can take…"

"Easy on the boost, boys…" cut in Dr. Ortiz, "You've spent so much energy worrying about who's going to be 'first' that you've completely missed the point of all this. This is a historical day, not only for the United States, but for every single human on this planet. We are potentially witnessing the birth of a new age, a new era, and all the while you're just sitting here, childishly obsessing about who's going to beat who… We're all in this together, and I'm not just talking about Americans…"

"_Three thousand miles out from target. Closing in.", _rang the probe's mechanical narrator through the speakers.

"We're in this together…as a species."

The sudden blaring siren collectively startled the room, shattering their concentration.

"What's going on? What's happening?" demanded a nearby General.

"Tech, what's going on?" Ortiz blared over the alarm's distressful whining.

The workers scrambled about, checking their various devices, "Sir...it appears as though something is…_emerging_ from the wormhole."

"Put it up on the main screen."

In the next moment, the overhead monitor adopted the probe's feed, granting everyone front row seats to the vast enormity of one of the greatest events ever observed in human history. Every set of eyes was drawn hypnotically to the colossal screen, each pair in awe of what they were seeing.

The head engineer's eyes went wide, "My God…"

"It's beautiful." Dr. Ortiz breathed, overwhelmed with an ecstatic anxiety. He watched in unparalleled reverence, hearing the gasps of others as an unidentified shape began to emerge from the black whirl. Slowly, he turned his gaze to the General on his right, "Alert the president. I have a feeling he'll want to see this."


	5. Chapter 5

All around, time flowed like molasses. With eyes glued to the TV screen, Donovan let drift his mind as he lazily deflected the deluded news luminously shovelled his way. So lost in his thoughts, he hardly cared to notice his friend trying to get his attention,

"Dude…bud…Don. _Don_. _Bitch!_"

"Hmm? What?"

"You've been staring at that TV the whole time we've been here; is this like some new fetish for CBC or something?"

"Why don't _you_ go orbit a black hole, Gray?"

"Hey…speakin' of black holes…" he replied, motioning back to the television. The two friends stared up at the light assembly, watching in anticipation as the tell-tale 'BREAKING NEWS' banner flashed across the screen.

"Everybody shut up!" Grayson shouted, quieting the bar as the room's attention redirected to the monitor, "Yo, Scotty, could you turn it up a little?"

"Sure thing." The bartender replied, raising the set's volume.

"Possibly the most amazing thing ever witnessed in human history is happening as we speak." announced a preppy young news woman, pulling up photos of the spatial anomaly, "Discovered earlier today by NASA out by the solar system's asteroid belt, the enormous phenomenon scientists are labelling a 'wormhole' has nearly doubled in its size over the last nine hours…"

A mixture of excited and worried murmurs erupted from the crowd, followed immediately by sharp shushing.

"…Speculations conclude that the hole is large enough to swallow two of our moons, perhaps more."

Gray and Donovan exchanged wide-eyed glances.

"Now, bringing you the latest, NASA has just observed what appears to be some kind of object emerging from the anomaly."

In response to the castor's statement, a live feed taken directly from one of the probes made its way onscreen, displaying the portal in all its glory. Situated at its very center was the aforementioned object, disconcertingly symmetrical and metallic in visual composition. Shrill gasps and frightened sputtering sounded throughout the bar and grill.

"What in the name of…"

"What the hell is that?!"

"Holy mother of…"

"Aliens! Mother fucking aliens!"

Donovan looked on in amazement, unable to tear his gaze from the screen, "…after all these years, I was beginning to think I'd never see them. I had always dismissed the cynics and ignored the naysayers…because I knew I was right. There _is_ life out there…and it found us."

"My mom always said they'd come…" Gray replied, his skin paling, "She'd say 'They've got their eye on us…like a predator waiting to pounce…' I just…I just never believed her…"

The large alien shape on the monitor continued to uncover itself as it surfaced, followed closely by many smaller units. The entire room fell silent once more as the massive object revealed itself to be an enormous base-like ship, layered dark and silver, bright blue jets flaring on its tail. Donovan suddenly frowned,

"What…the hell?"

"What?" Gray whispered.

"I know that ship…"

"…_what?_"

Heads snapped and turned in the young man's direction.

"What do you mean, you _know that ship?_" someone in the crowd called out.

Donovan's unshifting glare remained on the television set, "This isn't happening…this is impossible…"

"Don, snap out of it, you're losin' it!" his friend reasoned, shaking him by the shoulders.

"I know that ship! I've seen it before!" the young man asserted, standing up from his seat at the counter. He quickly turned for the door, grabbing his friend by the arm, "Come on, we're leaving!"

"Whoa, hey-!" Gray protested, attempting to finish his drink as he was yanked out the door, "Dude, _where_ are we going?"

A look of determination made its way across Donovan's face, "My place. There's something you need to see."


	6. Chapter 6

Thick shadows loomed across the surface of Mars as the gargantuan fleet made its way over the horizon, followed now by another set of entirely different but equally massive ships. Red and yellow bolts discharged from the trailing vessels, slicing across the void and damaging a few of the fleeing starships, sending them spiralling down into the Martian terrain hundreds of miles below. Retaliation ensued as a return-volley was directed back at the assailants, tearing down a few of their units, but ultimately achieving very little. Behind them, the gaping wormhole began to close.

The thrusters of the leading fleet's main cruiser illuminated at twice the intensity, launching the vessel forward and clearing Mars's gravitational reach, soaring off along with its followers towards the distant, appealing blue dot.

Scans indicated water, land…life.

Their only hope.


	7. Chapter 7

"We are currently tracking their movements as we speak."

The darkened room served to shadow the president's features well, "Where were they first observed?"

"First contact places them somewhere around eight-thousand or so miles from Mars, inbound at over thirty-thousand knots."

The distressed head of state leaned over the table, running a hand through his blonde, combed-over hair, "This is absolute insanity."

"We are working alongside the Chinese and the Russians. They say they are prepared to fight, if it comes to that. Our entire military is mobilizing and awaiting orders, though I strongly advise that we hold off on any sort of preemptive strike."

The president stared blankly down at the static photographs taken by the probes, feeling his pulse increase as his eyes glazed over the outline of the alien vessels. The officer leaned over the table, pointing to the largest of the spacecraft,

"According to our scans, the alloy these ships are primarily comprised of seems to be a combination of steel, titanium and tungsten. They appear to have been designed for combat."

The chief executive looked up, "Are we talking about…an invasion?"

The officer's cold gaze was like stone, "All possibilities are being considered."

"And what of the others following behind? What do you know about them?"

"Not much. Even through intensive scans, very little could be learned from them. Whatever they're made of, it's something that does not exist on our periodic table of elements. They are entirely alien, right down to their molecular structure."

"You've gotta be kiddin' me…"

"We have our top scientists working on it as fast as they can. Whatever these things are, it will all be cleared up soon. Until then, I strongly suggest that we get you to your bunker, Mr. President; there's no telling what may happen…"

"Very well, Vance," the man replied, rising from his seat, "Let's get out of here."


	8. Chapter 8

"No…no, that can't be possible."

"_Look_ at the ships, Gray," Donovan maintained, motioning to the TV set, then back to the images on the computer monitor, "Look at them and _tell me_ they're not the same. You can't make this shit up."

"It's just…I just- _how?_ How is this kind of thing even _possible?_"

The young man sighed, "I don't know."

The two watched, star struck as humanity's next chapter unfolded before their eyes on live television. The unidentified ships were closing fast, with another otherworldly fleet on their tail.

"So, this means we're screwed, right?" Grayson finally asked, drawing his friend's attention, "Assuming what you told me about those space pirates is true, we're in for a world of pain… Is there any way to stop them?"

Donovan sat, staring blankly into the TV screen, wondering what would come of all of this, "They are like death…they can be slowed down, they can be delayed, but never stopped. No matter how many times they are knocked down, they always get back up."

Gray slumped down beside him, a hopeless expression on his face, "So that's it then, we're finished, good as dead?"

"No."

"No?"

"For the pirates to keep getting back up implies that _someone_ is knocking them down…and just as _they_ can never be stopped…neither can _she._"


	9. Chapter 9

Eyes wide. Blood cold. Lungs tight.

Hearts skipped beats, tear ducts broke, hair stood on end. The entire world watched in horror and awe as the alien fleet soared past the moon, angling right for the planet. All across the globe, militaries took position, priming nuclear rockets and arming warheads. For the first time in millennia, the Earth in its entirety stood still. Every set of eyes that could watch did so. The vessels drew close, only miles from the stratosphere.

Down on the ground, Donovan sat with Gray, staring up from the roof into the beautiful starlit sky, gazing upon the spacecraft that were quickly beginning to burn up in the atmosphere. The two looked on as the main group split off into smaller clusters and squadrons, diverting in seemingly random directions across the sky. Not far behind were the pirate vessels, blazing yellow as they arced downward, bursting through the ozone layer.

"You don't seem afraid…" said Gray, heart sinking.

"I am…but at the same time I'm not…" Donovan looked over to his friend, "Because I know that she's out there somewhere, and as long as she lives, hope can thrive."

"You sure are putting a lot of faith into a video game character…"

"It's because I know her, Gray."

Like flares from another world, the distant ships ripped across the sky, some disappearing over the horizon, others appearing to grow in size as they neared. The two friends watched, stunned into silence as one of the flaming starfighters screamed overhead, a single pirate vessel trailing closely behind. Within seconds, the spacecraft dipped beyond the mountains, dampening the thud of the soon-following impact.

Grayson stood up, looking off in the direction of the crash, "Mother of God…"

Donovan mirrored his actions, rising to his feet, only to see a thick pillar of smoke begin to rise from the mountain's opposite side, "They're here…"

"Don…"

"I'm going."

"Don, don't be an idiot! If you go out there, you're gonna get your dumbass killed!"

"I'm not looking to fight them, _mom,_" the young man retorted, sliding off the roof, _"_I'm just getting a closer look!"

"Ugh, then I'm coming with you, hold up!" his friend groaned, hurriedly following after.

* * *

"Oh man, I'm so pumped!"

"I hate you."

"This is gonna be the sickest thing _ever!_"

"I hate you _so much_ right now…"

Already, police and military helicopters were soaring overhead.

"Aww, come on Gray, what's the point of life if you don't ever do anything _fun?_"

"I think the point of life is to _stay alive_, Socrates."

"Well yeah, but, if it's boring, what's the point?"

"You're impossible, Donny."

The two friends crept up through the brush and plant life, scaling rocks and small cliffs to the mountain's summit. Finally, they reached the top, looking down over its darkened face. Down below laid the remains of the grounded starship, dwarfed by the pirate vessel looming silently overhead. All around flew attack and response helicopters, their piercing spotlights trained heavily on its faded silver complexion.

"We are attempting to communicate with you." Came a sudden voice over one of the vehicle's loudspeakers, "If you can understand us, set your course south east and follow us, we will escort you to a nearby military installation. Any deviation will be taken as an act of aggression."

The pirates seemed indifferent. Suddenly, as if in response to the command, hatches on the side of the ship spread open, revealing its dimly lit interior. The helicopters' spotlights followed the slender bodies of multiple pirate troopers as they leaped from the vessel, descending into the thick woodlands below.

"_They're droppin' dudes_…" Said Gray, worriedly, "We need to go_, now._"

Donovan slowly began to back up, "Yeah…I think you're right on this one…"

Without warning, the dropship suddenly turned, unleashing bright blasts of energy at the nearest helicopter, shattering the cockpit and setting it ablaze. The chopper spun out of control, clipping the tail of another nearby unit as it spiralled towards the ground. What followed was a barrage of bright flashes and smoke as the remaining response helicopters let loose with everything they had.

"Oh…shit!" Donovan shouted, flinching as another aerial assault unit was taken out.

"Come on, we gotta go, move!" Gray called out, ducking as flaming debris flew just above them.

Without a second thought, the two friends bolted back down the other side of the mountain, clearing rocks and bushes as they rushed for the highway near the bottom. Finally, they reached the clearing, spotting Don's old Chevy on the shoulder.

"Get in!" he urged, skipping the buckle as he powered up the car and floored the gas.

"You see? I _told you_ it was a bad idea, I _told you!_"

"Oh God, that was real…that was so real…"

"I'm tellin' you, man, we could have died up there. We're lucky to be alive."

Donovan sat with a frightened, unblinking expression on his face. His friend looked over, nudging him, "Hey…you still with me, Oscar Wilde?"

"I just watched a bunch of people die…saw them burning as they dropped like falling angels." The young man's voice was shaky, "I can still hear them, Gray; their screams of terror…echoing in my head."

He paused, wrestling his emotions to the ground, "…those pirate bastards will pay for what they've done."

"Just do us both a favor…"

"What's that?"

"Don't be a hero."


	10. Chapter 10

"I've got too many questions and not enough _answers._" The secretary of defense shouted over the uproar, "Can _somebody_ explain to me what is going on?"

"Sir, broadcasts from all over indicate numerous attacks orchestrated by these 'space pirates'…" one of the workers responded.

"We have confirmed reports of aggression from all over the world, every one of them seemingly in tandem with the presence of the secondary fleet," Another yelled over the tumult, "Central Asia, Europe almost all of Africa, they all seem to be experiencing a similar phenomenon…"

"Many of our own states as well as provinces in Canada have been hit, along with most of Mexico and Central America…"

"Sir, we are under attack, we _must_ send all available units into combat _at once!_"

"And what about the big ship?" the secretary finally asked, "Where is it heading?"

"We are receiving reports that the main vessel of the leading fleet has found its way to somewhere in Peru, most likely Lima…"

"And what of the secondary fleet?"

"Strangely, their primary ship has diverted from the chase and stopped somewhere over Egypt, sir." Another worker shouted back, "Forces on site have already engaged extra-terrestrial combatants with heavy artillery."

"Who's got intel on the main group?" one of the military Generals demanded, "We don't know who they are and they _sure as hell_ won't know us…"

An analyst suddenly stood up, eyes widening at the message in his hands, "Sir, I've just received word that the occupants of the leading fleet have managed to establish contact with many countries around the globe, referring to themselves as the 'Galactic Federation'…"

"Finally, some answers!"

"Sir, that's not all…they appear to be…_human._"

Heads snapped and gazes turned, eyeing the man as he finished. The room fell silent.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" the Secretary suddenly cut through, "Let 'em know we're one of 'em! Target those enemy war vessels; send 'em home, boys."

Buzzers flashed and sirens blared as a slew of missiles fired up their launch sequence.


	11. Chapter 11

The sun glinted off the surface of the gliding warheads as they drifted silently above the Earth. Amongst the massive projectiles soared an especially large one, boasting a bright yellow hazard symbol on its flank. One by one, they began their descent, each one going its own way as they angled for the colossal pirate destroyers peppering the planet's surface.

Down on the front lines, countries from all over engaged their respective attackers, aided in part by the Galactic Federation as they worked to finish what they had started. Fighter jets mixed and matched with assault carriers and starfighters as the battles waged on, struggling to fend off the seemingly unstoppable force. All over, the death toll skyrocketed. The pirates were resilient, powerful, and refused to let up. Destroyers and dropships ravaged entire cities, forcing people from their homes, deploying squadron after squadron of troops to plunder and pillage. The largest of the alien marauders' ships loomed over Cairo like a shadowy behemoth, raining hell down on the civilians and soldiers bravely refusing to leave. Many watched what they believed to be Armageddon unfolding before their horror-stricken eyes.

Then, in the midst of all the death, all the strife…there was a spark, a glimmer of hope. Just when all seemed lost, a lone warhead came soaring down from above, impacting the hull of the main pirate frigate. In an instant, there came a brilliant flare, followed by a mushroom cloud of fire, illuminating the gargantuan spacecraft as it was blown apart. A heavenly blaze enveloped the vessel as its plating chipped and flaked off, its body almost appearing to melt as it dipped down towards the surface. All over the planet, similar occurrences were recorded as missiles and projectiles broke atmosphere, hammering the final nail into the coffin as the pirate attackers were laid to rest. Destroyers fell from the sky like flies as fighters and dropships attempted to retreat, with limited success. Cheers and war cries of victory sounded across the Earth as the dreaded assailants were put down, bringing an end to the assault.

For a moment, it felt as though the planet was safe.


	12. Chapter 12

"We have reports coming in from countries all over the globe; the pirate attack appears to have ceased."

The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff nodded, rubbing his chin.

"Casualties worldwide estimated to be within the millions. What we witnessed is now the largest amount of people ever in recorded history to die in less than twenty-four hours."

"How many extraterrestrials survived?"

"Not many, sir. A few managed to escape, but operations have been set in motion to locate and eliminate any lingering presence."

"And what of this 'Galactic Federation'? When do they leave? We are experiencing enough of an over-population problem, General; this planet can't take any more people."

The official seemed hesitant, "Sir…they appear to be trapped here."

The Chairman blinked, "Trapped? I'm sorry; did they not just arrive here in _space ships?_"

"Not trapped on this planet, sir…trapped in this dimension_._"


	13. Chapter 13

Donovan sat, staring dead into the television set. He looked on in shock, amazed that everything had ended so soon.

"…with a death toll of over nine million, a global effort has been put in place to aid those who survived the onslaught and provide proper burials to those who did not. Though the conflict has ended, military officials have been dispatched to remove any potential alien activity that may have survived the ordeal. Civilians are being asked to keep a sharp lookout for any suspicious activity in their area. In other news, the United Nations are currently working to establish relations with the mysterious 'Galactic Federation', in the hopes that something may be redeemed from it. More news on that later tonight…"

The room fell silent as the screen went dark. The young man stood up, looking distantly into the afternoon sun slowly beginning its descent.

_So that's it? We won, just like that? Something about this just doesn't feel right…it was too easy…_

He remembered Gray's words from the night before,

…_Don't be a hero…_

The phrase echoed through his head like a broken record. As he watched life go on outside, something caught his eye. His train of thought completely derailed as he strained to see a faint object off in the distance.

_That's way too fast to be a plane…_ he thought, snatching up his telescope. He angled the elongated lens in the general direction of the unidentified object, struggling to get a good look at it.

_Pirates…?_

Finally, he caught up with the flying shape, recognizing a familiar yellow tinge.

Both eyes shot open.

Veins went electric.

Pulses soared.

Don couldn't help but grin as butterflies flew about his stomach,

"Welcome to Earth, Ms. Aran."


	14. Chapter 14

Grayson sat back in his chair, patience draining as he listened to the dull ringing on the other end of the line,

"Come on, pick up the damn phone, I_ know_ you don't do anything…"

Finally, there came an answer, "Sup."

"Don, I know what you're thinking and it's a bad idea. Don't do it."

"What? What is it that you think I'm doing, Gray?"

"Oh, don't insult my intelligence, I know you saw the news…you know, where they mentioned there being a possible _'alien presence'_ still lurking about?"

"Oh, really?" Donovan replied innocently, "I must've just missed that part…"

"Dude, I can hear you sharpening a blade."

The faint scraping at the other end suddenly went quiet, "…no…?"

"Yes."

"No, that's my stomach."

"Don, for fuck's sake!"

"Okay, yes, I'm sharpening my machete, big deal! What do you want from me?"

"What I want is for you to _not_ _kill yourself_. Death is a _very_ real possibility, and it's a _guarantee _if you try to fight those things alone. If you go out there, you…are going…to _die_. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Silence filled the other end.

"Don?"

"I won't be alone."

"Don't do this…"

"Gray…this is one of the most amazing things to _ever_ happen in human history. If you think I'm just gonna sit around and watch this opportunity pass me by, then you are sadly mistaken. I'm going."

For a moment, there was a brief pause, "Just do me a favor, will ya?"

"What's that?"

"Don't die on me. Godspeed, Oscar Wilde."

The line went dead as Grayson hung up, leaving Donovan in the silence of his room once more.


	15. Chapter 15

"…just a reminder that residents are being advised to stay on high alert as a hostile alien presence was detected just a few kilometers north of the city approximately two hours ago. Forces have been deployed to deal with the problem, but civilians are being told to stay away until the situation is dealt with…"

The radio crackled and buzzed as the old Chevy left the area of reception, speeding down the empty highway towards the mountains encircling the city. Donovan's resolute gaze remained fixed on the road before him, heart racing as he neared the large, rocky hills. The tires spun and slipped as the car made its way onto the dirt path leading off of the highway, hastily scaling the incline as the sky continued to darken. The young man struggled to force the uneasiness from his brain, suddenly beginning to fear the consequences of his actions.

_Maybe Gray was right…maybe this was a bad idea… No! I've already made my choice, and I'll be damned if I don't see it through to the end._

Eventually, the road's end came into view, stopping right at the base of a steep hill protruding from the mountain side. Donovan gradually brought the car to a stop, stepping out and taking a deep breath of the fresh air. A lone hawk sounded far off in the distance, echoing through the treeline.

"Well…here we go."

The young novice flipped open the trunk, his eyes glossing over the tools laid out before him. He quickly threw on his homemade sheet metal armor, draping a long makeshift cloak over his shoulders, sealing it all in as he buttoned up his jacket. He looked down at the modified paintball mask before him, staring deep into its soulless visage. He slowly picked it up, almost hesitant to put it on.

_You know, it's not too late…_ his thoughts proposed, _You could turn back right now. No, I can't…I'd look like a prick… It's a price worth paying to go on living. You've got your whole life ahead of you…don't throw it away…it's not worth the…_

His mental chain was severed as he slid the mask onto his face, shuddering from the thick, cold steel lining the interior. Without much of a second thought, he snatched up the rest of his gear, sheathing his freshly sharpened machete as he eyed the two remaining weapons laying in the car's rear. He carefully picked up the revolver, admiring its tiny details as they glinted dimly in the dying light. He quickly filled the chamber and holstered the gun, turning his attention to the final firearm lying in the trunk.

_Anyone sees you with this and you're dead, Donny…_ He reminded himself, snatching up the sawed off shotgun, _So don't get caught._

* * *

Twigs snapped and branches crunched as the young man made his way through the thickness of the forest, scanning for signs of pirate activity. The deadness of night hovered all around, the bustling noises of the city having all but vanished. As the minutes passed, melting away into hours, an increasingly isolated solitude began to creep over Don, feeling as though all the life around him had ceased. Finally, he reached the low summit, looking out at the endless mountain ranges ahead. He sighed, wondering if he was even going to find anything. He then heard a noise. His head snapped downwards, noticing a distant patch of open grass, almost completely shielded by the surrounding brush. He strained to see; something was moving in the trees…something big. His eyes went wide as he watched two pirate dropships emerge from the area, turning East and gliding off silently into the night. The young man sat still as a gargoyle, waiting until the ships were out of sight before moving. Finally, their distant thrusters dropped beyond the horizon, prompting Donovan to his feet, carefully beginning the trek down the mountainside. The open area below seemed to be housing additional activity, the muffled grunts of something otherworldly echoing through the district. As the uneasy vigilante approached, he began to notice dim lights setting the area aglow. Crawling through the plant life, he set his sights on something that caused his heart to sink.

_A base…?_

He looked on as small groups of pirate militia set up large devices and barricades, fortifying a small outpost-like structure at the center. A few troopers strode amongst the bunch, grunting orders to the low-ranking dregs as they continued in their labor. Don slid back into the bushes, feeling his heart rate double,

"This is insane…this is absolutely insane." he whispered to himself, "I can't fight all of that, there's way too many of them… Ugh, where _is_ she? I know that was her ship, I _know_ it was…"

Suddenly, there came the hum of a very familiar-sounding engine, drawing the pirates' attention. Donovan looked up, grinning as he saw the same yellow ship from earlier soar overhead, raining missiles and bright energy blasts down on the startled marauders. The central structure erupted in a shower of flame and shrapnel, sending pirates flying in all directions. The young man watched, a loud thump startling him as one of the troopers landed to his left. In an instant, the space criminal swung its massive bladed arm, striking the ground where he had been only seconds before. The pirate continued to swipe and thrash angrily as the pesky human dipped and dodged out of the way, only narrowly avoiding the razor sharp edge. Don struggled to retrieve his weapons as he constantly jumped and rolled, terrified of being hit by the vile plunderer. The pirate suddenly swung its other arm, catching its target in the leg, bringing him down with its massive claw. The young man cried out in pain as the sharp teeth lining the digits cut into his lower thigh. The pirate leaned in, growling menacingly as it stared into the eyes of its trapped prey, preparing to strike once more. Seeing an opportunity, Donovan quickly snatched his blade and swung, catching the unsuspecting creature across the face,

"Get off me!"

The pirate staggered as it stepped back, snarling as it clutched its wound. It quickly raised its free arm, firing off bursts of red energy at its elusive target. Don jumped behind a nearby boulder, losing the energy shots by mere inches. He looked around as the yellow ship hovered nearby, unleashing continuous fire on the quickly deteriorating outpost. He listened, hearing the pirate's heavy footsteps as it approached, jumping out of the way just in time for its blade to pierce the rock. In one swift motion, he rose, spun around, drew the revolver and fired, knocking the thug back from the force of the round. Knowing what had to be done, he bolted for the armored pillager and slammed his whole body into it, knocking it onto its back, giving little room to react as he unsheathed his machete one last time, finishing the job with a single thrust. He slowly sat back as the life drained from the pirate's body, watching the blaze consume what remained of the small base. Feeling a sudden cold sweat pour over his brow, he bent over, removing his mask before throwing up beside the corpse.

"…fuck…" he breathed, heart still racing as he pulled the blade from the trooper's head, "…that was so real…that was so real…"

He looked around at the scene before him, watching as the remaining militia popped off shots at the nearby ship. Additional weapon fire was suddenly heard as energy bolts from an unknown source came flying from the treeline, picking off the pirate grunts one by one until none remained. Donovan watched, waiting for whoever was responsible to reveal themselves. He then noticed a bright, humanoid shape as it leapt from one of the trees, landing a short ways from where he hid. The young man looked on in awe, adrenaline soaring to new heights as he gazed upon the shining armor of the magnificent space warrior,

"Samus…"

The bounty hunter looked about, scanning her surroundings for any hidden pirate attackers waiting to strike. She then turned, appearing to scan the ruins of the outpost before continuing on, taking long strides into the forest, her ship following suit overhead.

Don sat, completely stupefied, his mind seemingly incapable of comprehending everything that had just happened. Part of him expected to wake up, only to find that it was all a dream. It was all too surreal to be a conscious perception; after all, these were just video game characters…right? He quickly snapped himself back to reality, rising to his feet and dashing for the area the bounty hunter was last seen.


	16. Chapter 16

"Status on the situation?"

"The pirate threat is still present on our planet, though the danger of their being here has significantly diminished. Now, only small outposts and bands of guerrilla squadrons remain. With the help of the Galactic Federation, we will have the capabilities to rid our world of these…'astro-marauders'."

"And how are we on _finding_ these remaining pirates?" the President asked.

The Chief of Staff seemed reluctant to reply, "Sir…they seem to be able to mask their radio and heat signatures. Satellite imagery is bringing up nothing, but reports of the malicious alien presence keep coming in."

"We can't afford to not know where our enemies are hiding. Talk to the Feds, find out what they know about this."

"Mr. President, sir!" a guard suddenly burst through the door.

"What is it?"

"Sir…it's the Federation. Their Fleet Admiral is here to see you."

A sober expression made its way across the man's face, "Let them in."

The guard nodded and quickly left. A few moments later, the doors opened back up and in walked a tall, middle aged gentleman clad in an olive military uniform.

"Mr. President," announced a security officer, "Fleet Admiral Castor Dane, commander of the Galactic Federation Starship Olympus."

"Welcome Admiral. I must say, it is truly mystifying and an honor to have someone who is not of this dimension in our presence."

Dane extended a hand, "The honor is mine, Mr. President."

"Please, take a seat," the man continued, returning the gesture, "We have much to discuss."


	17. Chapter 17

The moon's silver rays graced the valley as the night dragged on, bouncing off the glittering frost blanketing the landscape. A cool breeze blew through the mountains, sending shivers through Don as he continued to stalk the seemingly unaware bounty hunter. What was she looking for? Why here? Perhaps more pirates remained? Question after question circled the young man's brain as he worked out what to say when he finally got the Hunter's attention.

_What am I supposed to say to her? 'Hey, I'm here to help, please don't shoot me for creepily following you'. Ugh…this is impossible._

He watched as the space warrior slowly made her way over a short ridge, disappearing from view entirely.

_Oh no, you don't…_

He quickly stood back up, taking long strides with haste to the lip of the hill, hoping he hadn't lost the Hunter. Halfway to the crest, he heard the click of a loaded weapon sounding off a short ways behind him.

_Well shit._

He stopped dead in his tracks, hesitant to look back.

"Start talking." Came a very familiar feminine voice.

Donovan turned, surprised to see Samus standing with her arm cannon pointed directly at him. He motioned to the nearby ridge in a confused manner,

"Weren't…weren't you just over there a second ago?"

"_Talk, _before I shoot."

The young man's synapses fired like uncontrollable flares, clouding his thoughts,

"Okay, okay, just cool your cannons for a second; I'm on your side. Out here, the only thing I'm a threat to are the space pirates…well, sort of."

"Why are you here?"

"You're asking a _resident_ of this planet why he's here?"

"I meant _out here_, in this forest."

Don thought hard for a moment. The way he answered this next question could very well turn the tides in his favor…or cause them to swallow him whole.

"I'm out here because…I want to help."

"I don't _need_ any help."

"Oh, believe me, I'm well aware of that…"

"So why do you insist on following me? It's dangerous out here, you could get yourself killed. You have no idea what these monsters are capable of. For your own sake, turn back…"

A sudden fluctuation of emotions forced Don's expression into a glare, "_No_."

"What?"

"I'm going not anywhere_. _This is my planet…it's my battle, too."

The bounty hunter sighed, raising her weapon once more, "Then you leave me no choice."

"Whoa!" Donovan immediately jumped, rolling to the side as a couple of shots were fired his way, "What the hell? Did you just try to _shoot me?_"

"Relax, it's a stun beam…now hold still so I can make this quick and painless."

The young man couldn't help but chuckle at the familiar phrase, quickly hopping out of the way as more shots were discharged. Slippery as ever, he mirrored his strategy from earlier, taking cover behind a large boulder as the space warrior struggled to land shots.

"…I have to admit, I'm impressed," she said, slowly approaching, "You seem to have a knack for dodging."

"It kind of helps when you're afraid of pain." Donovan replied as he suddenly stood up and hurled a stone, lodging it perfectly in Hunter's barrel, "…although, admittedly, _not_ having to dodge is a much nicer alternative."

_Whaaat?! _His mind raced; _there is no fucking way I just landed that shot._ _Holy God of the Heavens and the Earth, I am a badass._

Samus looked curiously to the stone jamming her weapon before turning it away, proceeding to destroy it with a single blast. The young man sighed, almost disappointed, "It wouldn't have held, anyway…"

Behind the bounty hunter's visor, an inquisitive look flashed across her eyes, "Is your aim always that good?"

"On occasion…yeah," Don replied, slowly emerging from his cover, "Why?"

"You should join the military; they could use you…now hold still."

"Wait!" the stubborn target shouted, narrowly avoiding the next shot, "The future…I know what it holds for you!"

"You're not talking your way out of this, kid…"

"Samus, listen to me!"

The Hunter blinked, "How do you know my name?"

"The Leviathan seeds, how many are there?"

"…None. They were all eradicated during the phazon war. We cut off the source when we destroyed their birthplace."

"…also known as the planet Phaaze, where you fought Dark Samus." Don finished.

The bounty hunter slowly lowered her weapon, her eyes shining a look of suspicion, "How much do you know about me?"

The young man stood tall. Now was his time to shine, "Samus Aran, year of birth placed somewhere around cosmic date 2055, born on the planet K-2L, orphaned at the age of three by a raiding party of marauding space pirates lead by that big ass space dragon, Ridley. You were taken in, adopted by a highly intelligent race of bird-like beings known as the 'Chozo', raised in their ways on the planet Zebes until approximately 2071, where you left as a teenager to join the Galactic Federation, first as a soldier before splintering off to become a bounty hunter. You succeeded in destroying the space pirate outpost on Zebes along with Mother Brain, you defeated Metroid Prime, you defeated Gorea, you killed the Emperor Ing, cut off the portal to Dark Aether, destroyed Leviathan seeds on Bryyo, Elysia, the pirate home world _and_ even helped to stop one from crashing into Norion. Finally, you travelled with the Federation armada through a Leviathan wormhole to an unknown part of the galaxy, where you battle Dark Samus for the last time on the planet Phaaze, eventually putting an end to her, and subsequently, the flow of phazon itself. Phaaze is dust, the seeds are gone and your dark twin is all but a memory. Following these events, you are tasked with traveling to the planet SR388 where you eradicate all the remaining Metroids, leaving only a single hatchling which you turn into the Feds for further experimentation and study…"

He paused briefly, taking a breath, "I have entire pages memorized; I could keep going."

The Hunter didn't respond, her visor failing to hide her speechlessness. Finally she spoke, "Do you know my future?"

There was a brief silence.

"I know your _fate,_ Samus Aran."

"What is my destiny?"

Donovan smirked beneath his armored mask, an idea creeping its way into his mind, "Lose me and you'll never find out."

The space warrior stood quietly, contemplating her options. She seemed at odds with herself. A look of solemn acceptance slowly made its way onto her half-hidden face,

"Alright, kid…what are your terms?"


	18. Chapter 18

The enormous room bustled with wild chatter as numerous government and military officials talked amongst themselves. Questions jumped and scattered about, with few to no answers in sight. Many eyed the brightly lit stage as a high-ranking Pentagon executive made his way into the glare,

"Ladies and gentlemen, the Secretary of Defense."

The congregation stood respectfully as the man made his way onstage,

"Please be seated. I'm sure most of you are wondering why you've been gathered here today. As you all know, nearly forty-eight hours ago, history was made as the first ever wormhole was observed by NASA, quickly leading to a world-wide planetary invasion by malicious alien forces emerging from the anomaly. Here with us today is a distinguished member of the very Galactic Federation that helped keep our planet safe. Let me be the first to present to you all; Admiral Castor Dane."

The large group clapped respectfully as the Federation official appeared before them,

"Thank you very much. I stand before you today because there is an urgent crisis on our hands. The anomaly you observed which we have dubbed the 'Dimension Bridge' is, in fact, manmade."

Astounded murmurs spread through the assemblage.

"Whilst fleeing from one of the largest pirate attack parties witnessed to date, against our better judgement, we utilized experimental Federation hyper-jump tech in an attempt to escape. The device completely malfunctioned, tearing a hole in the dimensions…by the time we realized what had happened, it was already too late. The Federation offers the humblest of apologies for bringing upon you the wrath of the pirates, but rest assured we have one of our best working to rectify this mishap. In addition, though your impressive usage of nuclear weapons has proven quite effective against the invading pirate force, we believe it to be of great importance for your soldiers to learn how to effectively engage and neutralize this new enemy."

The Admiral looked, acknowledging the man to his left, "Mr. Secretary."

"With your help," the administer picked up, "new training programs will be set in motion for militaries all over the world, helping us to further understand the tactics and motives of these pirates. This is a whole new type of war, people…one we must fight united as a species. Good luck to you all."


	19. Chapter 19

"So, how do you know all of this?" Samus asked, not caring to look back as she strode on through the brush, "How do you know so much about my past, and furthermore, my future? Before the incident with the wormhole, I had only _just_ begun my mission to eradicate the remaining Metroids, yet you somehow know how it's all going to unfold. How can that be? Do humans in this dimension possess psionic-extrasensory capabilities? How can you know so much about someone you've never met?"

Don chuckled, "Oh, you and I have met before…"

"That isn't possible; we're from entirely different planes of existence."

"It's a strange universe, isn't it?"

"I just don't understand why you insist on withholding such valuable intel from me..."

"_Technically _I'm not actually withholding anything. Remember our deal, Samus…you allow me to tag along, and for every battle I will share with you one piece of information. Seems like a pretty fair trade if you ask me."

"...and if you die?"

"I don't plan on dying."

The bounty hunter rolled her eyes, "_That's_ reassuring…"

The two continued on in silence, searching for any other signs of pirate activity. As the hours lethargically passed, the morning sun began to creep over the mountain tops, causing the glittering frost to sparkle in the early light. It all seemed so peaceful for a planet at war with an alien species… Suddenly, Samus stuck out her arm, blocking Don's path.

"What?"

"Look."

Up ahead, shielded by heavy brush was what seemed to resemble a pirate starfighter, docked right next to a few accompanying dropships. The young man pushed past the Hunter's cannon,

"Cool, a new party to crash."

"Hey, wait…"

"Yes?"

"What is your name? What do I call you?"

The young novice smiled beneath his visor, taking a deep bow, "Donovan Gordon, at your service, Ms. Aran."

Samus raised an eyebrow at the appellation she had apparently been given and carried on, moving with silent haste towards the target. The two quickly snuck up to the edge of the treeline, setting eyes on a set of dual outposts being set up by the horrid plunderers. On the outskirts sat two large communications devices complete with shields and heavy armor. A few pirate aerotroopers flew about, surveying the area. Bands of light-armored troopers guarded the scene as cargo drones moved about, carrying large crates and containers to the militia working hard on the defenses. Donovan's eyes widened,

_Good God, this is insane…what have I gotten myself into?_

"They're setting up a relay outpost…" the bounty hunter explained quietly, "We need to take it out fast."

"…what do you propose we do?"

"What kind of damage do your weapons deal?"

"Damage? I don't know; they fire steel and lead, so…kinetic I guess?"

"Hmm…that could work. The pirates' armor is built to resist the intense heat of energy and plasma blasts…but they are not equipped to be able to handle the more primitive metal rounds your kind uses."

Behind his mask, Don grimaced, "_Primitive?_"

"Now, based on my scans, you only appear to be outfitted with steel armor...galvanic accelerator beams are going to melt right through that. You're going to have to be careful; you're just as vulnerable to them as they are to you."

"So, basically…I'm a glass cannon?"

"Pretty much."

"Great."

"Don't worry, I've got a plan. Normally, I work alone, but there are certain perks to having a partner around...perks that I plan on taking advantage of. How quiet can you be?"

"…completely. Why?"

The Hunter pointed to one of the transmitters, "You see how these devices have shields around them? As long as they're up, an aerial assault is completely futile."

"Good thing they conveniently have latches on the front to deactivate them momentarily." Don added.

"How did you know-? Never mind... But you're right; there _is_ a way around them. Now, as I'm sure you may have already guessed, I need you to sneak around to the other end of the camp and deactivate the far relay tower. Once I see yours is out, I'll pull the switch on mine, giving us a space of about eight seconds…during which you're going to want to take cover. I'll send in my ship for three consecutive attack runs, after that, you and I will clean up the rest."

"Got it." Donovan replied, drawing his shotgun as he snuck off. Samus watched patiently as he slowly made his way around the edge to the other side, barely managing to avoid attention as he crept through the trees. He laid flat on a small hill on the camp's opposite end, crawling up until the massive device came into view. He stared up at its gleaming bronze surface, waiting for the right moment.

_Okay, okay…just keep it together, Donny, _the young man calmed himself,_ you can do this, just pull the switch and run…pull the switch and run…_

An aerotrooper suddenly flew by, startling Don as he struggled to blend in with his surroundings.

_Ugh, the damn place is crawling with these bastards…there's no way I can do this without being seen…_

He then began to hear weapon fire. Far on the other end was Samus, drawing the pirates' attention as she engaged a small group of troopers.

_Thanks for the diversion, Sammy._

With only seconds to use, Donovan leapt from the hill, latching onto the large lever as his body weight pulled him towards the Earth. The latch snapped downwards, dissolving the red shield protecting the device. The young man turned, coming face to face with a few angry pirates who had seemingly materialized out of nowhere.

"Oh shit!" he cried, blasting away two of the space thieves with his shotgun. The remaining trooper took a step forward, swiping and slashing at the interloper with its long, arm-mounted cutlass. It quickly spun around, landing a reverse roundhouse on Don's empty weapon, knocking it clean from his hand, proceeding to tackle the young man to the ground as it lunged. The two wrestled and clawed at one another as they rolled around, kicking up dirt and gravel.

"Son of a…bitch!" Donovan snarled, throwing the pirate off of him.

The spatial pillager speedily regained its footing, growling scornfully as it watched its enemy mirror its movements. The two stared each other down; heedless of the battle raging on at the camp's other end. The young man slowly reached for his blade, unsheathing the long machete as the pirate waited. The trooper grunted, giving a quick nod. Summoning his best war cry, Don rushed the armored combatant, clashing blades with the vile being. The scrapes of metal-on-metal echoed faintly as the two swung and slashed with all their might, narrowly avoiding each other's stabs and swipes. In a single instant of recklessness, the pirate over-thrusted its long blade, giving its opponent more than enough time as he struck it down and stepped on it, pinning the sword to the ground. The creature's machete-impaled body made a loud thump as it fell lifelessly to the ground. Donovan knelt by the fresh corpse, doing what he could to force his heartbeat back to its regular tempo.

_I can't do this. Gray was right…it was a stupid idea to begin with; I wasn't built for this…_

He adjusted the mask on his face, looking back as he strained to remove the blade from the pirate's exposed lower abdomen.

_…But it's too late to back out now._

He watched as Samus took out what remained of the feeble resistance, firing off rockets, unleashing her grapple lasso on any aerotroopers unfortunate enough to get close. The young man looked on in admiration as he retrieved his shotgun, wondering if he'd ever be as amazing as the gallant space warrior. He then took off towards the lingering fight, reloading his weapon mid-sprint. Just before re-entering the action, he noticed a lone aerotrooper creeping along the top of one of the outposts. He immediately reached for the rope and grapple strung to his waist,

"Oh no, you don't…"

With all his might, Don flung the hook, by sheer luck managing to snag the pirate's jetpack as it left the structure. He held on for dear life as the aerotrooper violently jerked this way and that, struggling fiercely to lose the grapple. Within seconds, the airborne plunderer had the startled human pulled off the ground, towing him along as they soared through the air.

Samus looked up, "What are you _doing?!_"

"This is _not_ what I had planned!" the frightened young man shouted back.

The Hunter quickly took aim, popping off shots at the elusive air assault unit as Donovan began to pull himself along. The pirate immediately retaliated, discharging rockets and gel bombs at the bounty hunter below, all the while completely unaware of the approaching human. The buzzing whirs of the alien jetpack filled Don's ears as he neared, latching onto the pillager's unsuspecting shoulder. The creature growled and grunted, desperately trying to claw at the enemy on its back. A bright ring sounded as the black machete was pulled from its sheath, losing the frequency altogether as it sunk into the aerotrooper's neck. In the next instant, the doomed fighter angled itself downward, spinning madly towards the bounty hunter.

"Don, drop!" Samus shouted, jumping out of the way.

The young man did as he was told and let go, landing hard and tumbling across the ground below as the suicidal pirate flew headfirst into the dirt, exploding on impact a short ways away. The bounty hunter sprinted over to her motionless partner, kneeling down beside him,

"Come on, kid, stay with me…don't die now."

Donovan groaned as he slowly sat up, cracking his back with a sharp wince, "Ridley steals the hatchling from the Federation…you pursue him to Zebes, where you defeat him once more…along with Tourian's guardian, Kraid...the ethereal specter Phantoon, and Draygon, the massive Evir taking refuge in a submerged pirate lab in Maridia."

Samus briefly pondered this new information as Don stood back up, sheathing his weapon. He strode over to what remained of the aerotrooper, fetching his gear,

"...would you look at that, the grapple actually survived. Life is so random sometimes..."

"You're hurt." The Hunter suddenly said.

"Hmm? Nah, I just got the wind knocked out of me…"

"You're bleeding."

"Wait, what?" The young man looked down, noticing the dark stream of red flowing generously from his arm, "Ah! Oh, shit!"

"It must have happened during the fall. Hold on, I'll bring my ship down."

The bounty hunter quickly opened a small screen on her arm cannon, typing down a code into the pad. A short moment later, her ship flew down from overhead, landing just beside them. Don carefully climbed its golden yellow surface, wary not to drip blood on its gleaming finish,

"Ugh, this is _s_tarting to hurt like a bitch…what do I do?"

"Stand atop the platform, let the ship do the rest."

The wounded novice nodded, making his way to the top hatch. He stood tall upon the circular elevator as it dropped down into the vessel, momentarily hiding him from view. About a minute passed before the platform reemerged. Donovan felt along his renewed body, taking in a deep breath,

"Wow…_that_ is amazing. I wish my people had these kinds of advancements…"

Samus turned back towards the relay devices, "Don't forget what we're here for; let's get to it."

The young man broke into a sprint, covering the distance to the opposite transmitter in a matter of seconds. He leapt up, latching onto the lever, allowing gravity to do the work as his weight pulled the switch back down. He looked back, nodding to the Hunter as he dashed for the nearby trees. A few moments passed before the roaring gunfire of the ship was heard, followed by the rumbles of the exploding devices as they erupted alongside their outposts. Don slowly peered out from behind cover, smiling at the sight of the destroyed pirate tech. He gradually sauntered across the remnants of the camp, eyeing the smoking piles of scrap as he approached the ship,

"Where to now?"


	20. Chapter 20

Admiral Dane stood still as a painting as he gazed out the massive bridge window of the Olympus, his eyes glossing over the gorgeous Peruvian landscape below as he revelled in the beauty of the foreign planet. Despite the stunning views and wondrous scenery, the old veteran felt troubled. Regardless of how much his mind wandered, he couldn't shake the burdensome stress pressing itself upon his conscience. Reality was unavoidable. The man turned away from the window, losing himself mentally,

_Trapped in an alternate dimension with no way home…and still they look to me for solutions. What is an equal with no answers to say to those who view him as mighty?_

His thoughts were suddenly cut short when an officer came dashing through the door, "Admiral, sir!"

"What is it?"

"One of our trooper deployments found something. You might wanna come see this."

* * *

The doors to the briefing room slid open as the officer led Dane across its threshold into the gloomy interior. Inside, a small group of soldiers stood in waiting as the Admiral approached,

"I've been told you discovered something. What did you find?"

The leader took a step forward, retrieving a device from the others, "Sir, take a look at this…"

A small red screen lit up on the face of the instrument, showcasing a large map depicting the entirety of North America. All over the computerized graph were yellow points of varying sizes, most of them flashing intermittently.

The Admiral bore a look of curiosity, "What am I looking at, here?"

"Sir, we believe this to be a chart pinpointing the exact locations of all the pirate outposts currently on this continent. All those flashing dots coincidentally happen to be floating right over top of neutralized enemy territory…the rest, we assume, are still-active installations."

Dane narrowed his eyes, "Where did you get this?"

"At an outpost near a place called Ti…_Tijuana,_ sir."

The Admiral nodded, turning back to his assistant officer, "Make a copy of this intel, reroute it through the system. Send it out to every unit that's receiving; they'll be grateful to have it."

"Sir, right away."

The man looked back to the group before him as the officer bolted out the door, "Well done, men. You may have just tipped things in our favor. Now, get back out there; those pirates ain't gonna kill themselves."

The troopers saluted respectfully as they exited the room, leaving Dane alone with his thoughts. Despite the severity of the bigger picture, the Admiral couldn't help but smile.

_We may be trapped here, but so are they…and they've got nowhere to hide._


	21. Chapter 21

The bounty hunter strode through the thick brush with vigor as Donovan followed closely behind. It had been hours since their last encounter and the day was well into its noon. Samus hadn't said much since they departed the camp, driving her young partner mad with the awkward silence. Suddenly she stopped.

Don halted in his tracks, placing his hand on the revolver's hilt, "You see something?"

"I've just received an update from command. They've discovered a map pinpointing the locations of all the live pirate outposts on this continent."

"...that's awfully convenient."

"The nearest one is a couple of kilometers from here; let's move."

* * *

The agile yellow ship flew low above the jagged pine, closing in on the pirate fortification at a rapid pace. The Hunter's ship let loose with a powerful onslaught of energy pulses and projectiles, sending up plumes of fire and smoke were they struck.

"Ha, eat plasma, pirate scum!" Don exclaimed triumphantly, watching the space thieves scramble about below. The vessel curved sharply, pulling a tight 180 as it returned for another run, sending down a second unforgiving volley. Samus watched the chaotic disarray below as she began to angle the spacecraft downward, landing just outside the outpost border,

"They're weak, let's finish them off."

Don shot over to the elevator, squinting through the midday light as he and the Hunter were lifted from the ship's golden shell. Envy filled his eyes as the space warrior leapt from the vessel, executing multiple front flips followed by a flawless landing, placing herself dead center of the turmoil.

"Show off…" the young man murmured, sliding down the face of the spacecraft into the fray.

"Humans!" exclaimed one of the reptilian thugs, "Kill them!"

Many of the pirates stunned from the air strike regained their footing, snatching up arms as they returned fire on the intruders. The bounty hunter dodged and rolled about, blasting away at the flaccid pirate defenses as they desperately attempted to fight her off. Don ducked and wove around tech and pieces of stolen equipment as he avoided the oncoming bolts by a hair's breadth. He reached from around cover, unloading most of the revolver on a nearby trooper trying to sneak up on the preoccupied Hunter. Samus quickly spun around, returning the favor as she lassoed a nearby pirate preparing to cut the young man to pieces. The being roared as it was flung through the air, landing hard against the wall of the half-finished outpost. Don quickly stood up, firing off the final two shots into another approaching pillager. He then turned, swinging the empty gun at a snarling militia grunt that had jumped down from overhead. Its head snapped back from the blow just as the novice followed up with a powerful thrust kick, knocking it onto its back. Within seconds, the smoky steel of the machete was buried in the pirate's lifeless chest. Donovan suddenly cried out in pain as a pulse of plasma bolts struck him in the back, forcing him down. A large claw tightened around his neck as he was lifted off the ground. His panicky eyes looked deep into the glowing sockets of the pirate cutting off his air, his heart racing as he struggled against the creature's iron grip,

"Humans..._pah!_ So sure of yourselves, so confident in your tiny empire over your tiny planet...yet, you are all so weak." It taunted through a toothy grin. Don kicked and squirmed, choking as he attempted to respond.

"What?" the plunderer asked deridingly.

The young man forced a smile as he pushed the words through, "I got your gun."

The pirate's eyes went wide as its stomach was pierced by a shot from its own energy pistol, releasing its prey as its body dropped limply to the ground. Donovan fell on all fours, coughing and gagging as he tried to regain his breath,

"Sorry, Kirk…stole your line."

Further off, Samus continued to relentlessly pelt the quickly diminishing mobs, finishing off the final trooper with a point-blank missile blast. She looked back at her partner as he strained to stay afoot,

"Can you walk?"

"Barely…" Don winced in between labored hacks, "I got shot…think it hit the lung…hard to breathe…"

"We're done here," the Hunter replied, supporting him with her free arm, "Let's move."


	22. Chapter 22

"I don't want you to take this the wrong way…but you are not fit to be a warrior."

Donovan stared blankly out the cockpit window, releasing a tired sigh, "I know…"

"You seem to be having a difficult time handling all of this…why did you come out here, anyway?"

"I couldn't just sit around and do nothing…I had to play my part, y'know? You have to understand that I grew up in a country so far removed from war and conflict that, in a lot of ways, it didn't even seem all that frightening to me. I was an idiot for allowing myself to be sucked into the delusion that it may, in some crazy way, not be all that bad…of course, now that I'm out here and it's too late to turn back do I finally realize my mistakes. They warned me, you know…they told me not to go…"

There was a sudden shift in his eyes, "But dammit, I did so anyway! Because those bastard pirates out there; they invaded my planet, _my planet_…and I may not be the bravest guy on the face of the Earth, but if I'm going to die by their hands, then I might as well go down fighting, because if there's one thing I know for damn sure, it's that I am _not_ gonna go down like a bitch. Death before dishonor."

For a moment, the Hunter seemed at a loss for words at the novice's abrupt change in tone, "...you may not have the _body_ of a fighter, but you certainly seem to have the mindset of one…the question is: when the time comes for you to use it, can you hold it together?"

"That's the problem…I don't know. I don't know if I can. You're right, I'm not cut out for this; I never was."

"I…may have been a little hard on you. It isn't easy at first; it never is, believe me…but with practice comes perfection."

"…you think I can do it?"

Behind her visor, a look of faith crossed the bounty hunter's eyes, "...there is always a chance."

The young man smiled beneath his mask, turning his gaze back to the passing scenery beyond the glass shield. It was all so beautiful, so pristine.

"So, what happens next?"

Don looked over with a confused expression, "Sorry?"

"In my life…the last thing you told me was that I traveled back to Zebes where I defeated Ridley and those three others…what happens next?"

The faint rumbles of the ship's outside thrusters set a gentle calmness about the two as Donovan racked his brain to remember the order of events. He took a deep breath, feeling the filtered air run smoothly through his mended lungs,

"After defeating those four, you continue on, soon discovering what come to be known as 'Mochtroids', which turn out to be unsuccessful attempts by the pirates to clone Metroids. You push your way through Tourian, encountering an entirely new breed of the parasite along the way. Eventually, you come across another Metroid far too massive to be deemed 'normal', but before you can attack, it latches onto you, draining you of nearly all your energy. Interestingly enough, it stops right before killing you, appearing to almost recognize you in some way… This specific specimen later turns out to be the hatchling you had spared for study."

"Returning the favor?" the Hunter asked.

"In a way, yes; you were the first living thing it saw upon hatching. It's conceivable that it thought of you as its mother…a bit strange, yes, but understandable. Due to its enormous build, this one in particular is known only as the 'Super Metroid'. Only one has ever been observed."

The bounty hunter nodded, turning her eyes back to the cockpit window ahead. Thick patches of concrete and forestry passed silently below them, adding a certain tranquility to the ship's interior. Don stared distantly through the glass, pondering the events of the last twenty-four hours. Despite everything that had happened, he still had trouble bringing himself to believe all of it. Here he was, fighting alongside _Samus Aran,_ possibly one of the most iconic video game characters in history. It all seemed so surreal…like it was too good to be true. He silently prayed that he wouldn't wake up.

"We're approaching the target now."

"That was quick... Where are we anyway?" Don wondered aloud, fetching his GPS, "Oh, sweet, Iowa; home of Slipknot."

"Who?"

"A musical group; they're really good. So what are we looking at?"

"See for yourself."

Before them spread the broad expanses of central U.S. soil, stretching for miles without end in sight. Countless patches of farmland checkered the landscape, looking almost devoid of life. Far in the distance, there appeared to be some kind of structure that had been dug into the earth.

Donovan's eyes widened, "_That's_ our target? It's uh…_pretty big_."

"Galactic Federation marines have been storming this fortress for the last couple of hours. Gate barriers are strong and heavy anti-air artillery has been placed all around the perimeter, making an aerial assault impossible."

"...how could they have built that thing so fast...?"

"Our only hope is a strong forward advancement around the north side; defenses seem to be weak there. Load your weapons; we're going in."

Clouds of leaves and dirt swirled all around as the Hunter's ship touched down a safe distance from the pirate edifice. Samus immediately stood up and made her way to the elevator, standing tall as she and her partner were lifted out of the vessel. A light breeze blew about the cloudless setting as the battle raged on in the distance. The faint echoes of buzzing energy bolts coupled with the cries of frantic Federation troopers sounded across the plains as the two prepared to move out. Don looked on with a worried expression,

"I am going to fucking die."

"If you want to back out, now is the time."

There was a pause. The young man took a deep breath, narrowing his eyes, "No battle...no intel. I'm going."

"Stick close to me; I've got your back."

* * *

"Form up, advance!" the trooper's shouts cut through the mess of pirate resistance as the Federation soldiers continued to push on, giving the horrendous thieves everything they had. Bodies of both human and pirate origin were strewn about the scene as the conflict's intensity rose at an unparalleled rate. A short ways back, Don hid behind the wreckage of a downed dropship, frightened for his life as he fired off shots from his revolver,

"What was I _thinking?_ Forget what I said earlier, _this_ is insanity!"

"You're welcome to drop out anytime!" Samus replied over the gun fire.

"No! I made a commitment, dammit!"

"Then less talking, more shooting!"

Countless Jolly Roger drones swarmed the opposition like a pack of angry hornets as the marines continued to unload a constant flow of ammo on the pirate war bunker. Bright flashes and billowing smoke filled the area as one of the structure's shield generators was sabotaged. Without hesitation, the troopers made a move for the northern entrance, blasting their way through the militia,

"Advance on the double!"

Samus looked over to her panicked partner, "Time to move."

Gunfire and the growls of snarling pirates sounded through the complex as the insanity carried itself inward. All around soared blasts of dark beam mixed in with galvanic accelerator exhaust and plasma bolts. The cries of dying Federation soldiers melded with the roars of doomed pirates as the conflict slowly began to draw itself to a close. Donovan moved about with caution, daring not even for a second to stray from the Hunter. He watched as the space warrior took out packs of space thieves with relative ease, discontent with his own failure to do the same. All around, the bodies of plunderers dropped like flies from the second floor, littering the interior as the marines gradually finished them off. The calm in the wake of the all the death left the fortification with an elegant silence as the dust finally settled.

"Clear!" one of the Federation troopers sounded off.

Suddenly a pirate vessel flew overhead, dropping a large creature down through the open ceiling. The being landed hard, sending a thick shockwave through the floor, knocking everyone over. Don quickly regained his stance, drawing his shotgun,

"A fucking Korakk beast, are you _kidding me?_"

"Look out!" one of the remaining troopers shouted, taking the young man to the ground as they narrowly avoided the beam of the Hussar's energy lance. In an instant, the others returned fire, peppering the monster and its rider with plasma discharge as they attempted to ward it off. The group fought with every ounce of will power they could muster up, but due to the Korakk's resilient nature, achieved very little.

In almost no time at all, the pirate riding the furious creature managed to take out all the enduring Federation marines, turning its murderous gaze to the final two standing defiantly before its magnificence. Don quickly dove out of the way as the beast lunged forward, causing it to flinch as he followed up with both shells from his shotgun. In the space of mere milliseconds, the Hussar swung its elongated lance, knocking him off to the side. The brilliant glow of the Hunter's grapple lasso lit up the rider's frame as it was ripped from its seat on the creature's back, tumbling across the floor as it landed dangerously close to Donovan. The enraged Korakk reared up on its hind legs, letting out a thunderous roar as it prepared to strike. A long, leathery tongue suddenly shot out from its gaping jaw, ensnaring the Hunter as she attempted to fight back.

Off to the side, the dismounted Hussar clashed with its angered foe, swinging and jabbing at Don with the threatening weapon in its hands. The young man jumped back, dodging this way and that as he retrieved his revolver, only to have it swiped from his grasp by the pirate's lance. Meanwhile, Samus continued to struggle against the creature's disgusting appendage, firing off rockets and charged blasts in the hopes of avoiding the razors lining its maw. Finally a rocket lodged itself in the beast's mouth, knocking it back as it exploded. An infuriated and agonized roar escaped the Korakk's dislocated jaw as it prepared to charge once more. The Hunter speedily jumped out of the way, contorting into morph ball as the beast rammed into the nearby wall. The now spherical space warrior quickly rolled underneath the aching animal, setting off multiple energy explosives as she passed below. The creature jumped back from the sudden trauma, falling onto its back. With no time to lose, the bounty hunter returned to her feet, unleashing a stream of missiles on the Korakk's exposed underside, watching as the life drained from its body.

Don strained against the Hussar's strength as he wrestled for the energy lance in its claws. His arms trembled from exhaustion as the blades inched closer to his face, forcing him to bend further and further back. In a daring move, he suddenly shifted his weight, turning his body and flipping the pirate over his back and onto the steel floor. In a frantic attempt to stay in the fight, the grounded rider activated the energy discharger, slashing back and forth as Donovan narrowly avoided its blazing emissions. With few options remaining, the young man stomped his steel-toed foot down onto the weapon, pinning it to the floor. Audible cracks sounded through the deadness of the room as the other boot was swiftly and repeatedly brought down on the Hussar's helmeted skull. Soon, the struggling died down…then there was silence. Samus watched as her partner slumped down beside the lifeless pirate, catching his breath as his heart settled.

"I don't wanna do that again…" He sighed, reaching for his revolver with a shaky hand.

"You don't have to fight, you know that."

"No, no…I was referring to the way I just killed that thing. It was fucking barbaric, that's not like me… Frankly, I'm disgusted with myself."

Samus slowly approached, looking deep into his mask-veiled eyes as she knelt down, "Don't take it out on yourself; it's the nature of war. It's never pretty."

"Even so…the ends don't justify the means. I'm not a sadist."

"That just shows you still have some humanity left in you." the Hunter replied, helping him up, "It's a trait I feel a lot of us have lost."

"Even you?"

Silence. Without another word, the Hunter turned, taking long strides off towards a large console sitting at the room's far end.

"Where are you going?" Don called out.

Samus activated her scanners, siphoning out every last drop of pirate intel from the mainframe. After a minute, she took a step back, appearing to be studying something on her heads-up display. The young man returned to her side, eyes glossing over the damaged tech,

"What did you find?"

The Hunter did not respond.

"Samus?"

"The pirates' overly zealous defensive behavior wasn't an anomaly…they were protecting something."

"Why, what'd you find?"

"Let's get back to the ship, I'll explain along the way."


	23. Chapter 23

The Admiral's eyes widened as he observed the information onscreen.

"We received this intel from bounty hunter Samus Aran a few minutes ago." the assistant officer informed, "This may be a pivotal turning point in our war against the pirates on this planet."

Dane stood silently, a faint smile beginning to make its way across his hardened features, "They've got nowhere to hide now. Send it out to every division that's still receiving; let's make these pirates wish they had never set foot on this Earth."

"Aye, sir!"

The Admiral turned his gaze back to the large digital map before him, revelling in this brilliant discovery. At his fingertips sat the location of every active pirate installation on the planet. The upper hand had been shifted. Things were about to change.


	24. Chapter 24

The orange slivers of light slowly dropped beyond the Earth's curve as the night drew itself upon the planes. Don stared out through the ship's concave lens with glassy eyes, reminiscing of all that had happened. He had always envisioned war to be a terrible thing…but it took being in the thick of it for it to finally occur to him. It was all so much worse than he could have ever dared to imagine. Though he would never admit it, deep down he felt embarrassed, insignificant even. Next to the bounty hunter he felt so…so… Feeble was the only word that came to mind. How many times had he almost died? He had already lost count. He mentally kicked himself for thinking he could be like his heroes. He felt like a fool for surrendering to such childish notions. How does one ascend to grandeur? Could _he_…?

"Why don't you take that mask off?"

Don snapped himself back to reality, "What?"

"Your mask. You've fought alongside me a few times now, and I don't even know what you look like. It would be nice to know who I'm working with."

The young man seemed hesitant, "Well…I mean…"

Behind Samus's visor, a look of curiosity began to take over her, "What's the matter? _Shy?_"

No response.

"Alright, I'll go first."

The Hunter carefully grasped the edges of her helmet, allowing her long golden locks to fall gracefully to the side as she removed the armor. Don watched as the rest of the Varia Suit dissolved around her figure, feeling his heart rate quicken as he stared into her crystal blue eyes,

_This is it, Donny; the moment of truth._

A deep, reluctant breath followed as he doubled the bounty hunter's actions, placing both hands over his mask as he prepared to face her for the first time. He carefully slipped it off, running a hand through his hair as he eyed Samus with an expectant expression. The Hunter seemed to mask surprise,

"Hm. You know, I'll be honest; I was expecting someone ugly."

The young man blinked, "...are you implying that you think I'm attractive?"

"I didn't say anything like that, kid; I'm just telling you what I thought."

Don couldn't help the faint blush warming his cheeks, "Ha-ha, you think I'm cute."

For a moment, Samus almost appeared to smile, "You should rest up; you've had a long day."

"I wasn't aware you had any _concept_ of rest…"

"What did you think the bed in the back was for?"

"Bed?" the young man peered over the bounty hunter's shoulder, setting eyes on the large rectangular cushion tucked away far at the back end of the ship, "Huh, that's convenient."

* * *

Don shifted uncomfortably under the covers, shivering as goose bumps crawled all over his body. The cold wasn't typically an issue…_sleeping_ in the cold, however, was a whole other battle in and of itself.

"Is it always this frigid in here?"

Samus slowly rolled over onto her back as she settled in, "My ship's central heating core was damaged during the skirmish above your planet…we're going to have to make do."

"Well…maybe we should cuddle up."

"_Why?_" the Hunter's tone was icy.

"Well, it generates body heat. I don't feel like freezing, _do you?"_

A sluggish moment of silence passed. Don laid nervously, heart pounding in his chest, hoping he hadn't pushed it too far. Finally, there came a response, "Alright."

"Wait, really?"

"Yeah."

_Whaaat? There's no way that just worked!_

A gentle brushing of sheets followed as Samus slid across the wide mattress, wrapping an arm around the young man as she nestled up to him. She let out a deep breath, ignoring the thick beat thumping beneath his chest,

"You probably thought that whole "body heat" thing was pretty clever, didn't you?"

Donovan chuckled, "Yep."

A short while passed as the two laid quietly in the blackness of the ship, listening to the faint sounds of nature beyond its thick walls. Such peace in contrast to the earlier conflict felt strange. Regardless, Don relished in this dream-come-true of his, knowing full well it likely wasn't going to last.

"You still haven't told me what happens next." Samus suddenly uttered, shattering the tranquility.

"Hmm? Oh, right… So, after the incident with the Super Metroid, you restore your energy and face off against Mother Brain once more. You eventually damage her capsule enough that she emerges, attaching herself to an enormous mechanical body. Whilst battling this new form of hers, you are nearly killed by the powerful beam of energy that she constantly directs your way. Mere moments from death, the Super Metroid from earlier enters the chamber, latching itself onto Mother Brain, draining her energy until she slumps against the wall, seemingly dead. The massive Metroid then attaches itself to you, feeding you the stolen energy from the monstrosity that nearly vaporized you. Unfortunately, while this is all happening, Mother Brain recovers… Short work is made of the Super Metroid."

He paused.

"Now, as your suit pulses with the stolen energy, you avenge the fallen child, using your newly acquired Hyper Beam to finish off that prick-brained abomination for good, reducing her to a literal pile of dust. In doing this, you trigger a self-destruct sequence, giving you little time to escape. You reach your ship and blast off…just as the planet cracks and explodes behind you in a brilliant flash of light."

Samus's eyes shot open. She leaned up on one arm, looking down at her shadowed partner, "_What?_"

Donovan wore a solemn expression, avoiding the Hunter's gaze, "Zebes is lost forever. The last Metroid is destroyed. The galaxy returns to peace…though, needless to say, _you_ do not."

The Hunter sat up, holding her head between her hands, "No…no, that can't be…"

"I'm sorry…it's the way things are meant to be."

"Is there any way I can stop this from happening?" she asked, looking back.

"Yes…but it requires that Mother Brain be left alive, and you and I both know that that isn't an option."

Samus slowly laid back down, distraught and perplexed. She shut her eyes, rubbing her temples as she came to grips with all she had been told. Zebes…_destroyed?_ The idea sounded so…impossible. The thought of losing the very planet she grew up on sent stabs of pain through her burdened soul. The pirates had already taken so much from her; couldn't they leave well enough alone?

"I'm sorry," Don whispered, gently embracing her, "If I could change the flow of reality, I would…but I am merely human."

The bounty hunter returned the gesture, resting her head against his,

"I know."


	25. Chapter 25

_Weak. Fragile. Coward._

_You were right to fear them…look at the damage they've wrought. They are strong, whereas you are weak._

_Stupid. Pathetic. Dreg._

_You were never really good at anything except being yourself…and look now, even your truest person is lackluster. How sad._

_Expendable. Replaceable. Worthless._

_You're hurting her…you know that, right? You think your presence is a gift? She doesn't care about you._

**_YOU._**

…_she doesn't need you..._

**_ARE._**

…_no one needs you._

**_NOTHING._**

_Nothing._

_nothing_

. . . . .

. . . .

. . .

. .

.

A gentle rumbling rattled Don's tired head as he began to wake. He groaned as he stretched out, finding that the space warrior was nowhere to be found.

_Well, it was nice while it lasted._

He lethargically rose from the bed, cracking his joints as he regained his consciousness. Stepping through the doorway, he set sights on Samus who sat at the pilot's seat, working away at the controls. Beyond the glass sheet lay nothing but blackness.

The Hunter peered back over her shoulder, "I wasn't expecting you to be up."

"I don't often sleep well."

"Insomnia?"

The young man nodded, "Something like that. Still pretty dark out…how early is it?"

"Hard to tell…" Samus replied, taking a hard turn left on the controls, "We're not in Iowa anymore."

As the vessel curved, the inky black world outside rolled over, revealing the vibrant, picturesque face of the Earth, its gleaming surface beautifully lit by the sun's distant golden rays. Donovan rushed to the window, eyes widening as a smile stretched across his face,

"No…effing…way! We're in _space?_"

"First time?"

"Uh, yeah! Normally, on my planet, you have to study for _years_ and pay upwards of thousands just for a _chance_ to fly beyond the stratosphere…but because of you, I get a one-way ticket. This is amazing!"

The Hunter smiled faintly, amused by his excitement.

"So, not that I'm arguing because this is pretty much a dream come true for me, but…_why_ are we in space, exactly?"

"Our next target was almost completely on the opposite end of the planet. It will be much easier to intercept from beyond the atmosphere."

"Okay, so, where are we going?"

The bounty hunter typed a few codes into the console before her, bringing up a digital world map, "You're the Earthling, you tell me."

Don raised an eyebrow as he set eyes on the highlighted country, "Oh damn, South Africa? Epic."

"Hold onto something, we're going in."

The ship's sturdy frame shook violently as it angled downwards, piercing the planet's atmosphere like the tip of a spear. Tremors and jolts rattled the interior as the vessel shot down through the thick layer of cloud, swiftly smoothing out its course as it broke the blanket of white. Beneath them rushed the deep blue of the magnificent Atlantic as they soared at break-neck speeds for their southbound objective. The enormous landmass quickly came into view as the spacecraft rushed forward, sending up a trail of mist as it flew mere inches from the water's surface. As the agile yellow ship angled back up, a glorious mountain range passed below, its various colors like a blur in the speed of flight.

Don stared past the glass in awe, "It's all so stunning."

"I must admit, you have a beautiful planet." The Hunter commented, bringing the thrusters' boost to a minimum, "I seldom have the time to look around and enjoy my surroundings…it's a shame, but that is simply the nature of being a bounty hunter."

"You ever think about taking a break? I mean, you've saved the galaxy more times than many of us care to count, you deserve time off more than anybody."

"If only life were that simple…" The space warrior sighed, activating her power suit. Outside, the rocky hills began to slow as the ship closed in on its target. Anxiety filled Donovan's veins as he watched the countless mountains flow beneath them,

_This time will be different…this time, I will not be afraid._

The spacecraft arced over one of the larger formations, coming face-to-face with yet another large pirate outpost tucked away between the hills. Almost immediately, a barrage of flak flew their way, scraping the paint off the Hunter's vessel as it swerved to avoid the attack.

"Whoa!" Don cried out, struggling to stay afoot, "Who the hell skipped out on the intel?"

"Recon told me there'd be no anti-air resistance…they must've just put these up. Hang on, we're going in hot!"

With that, Samus pulled a sharp 180, peppering the feisty turrets with blazing discharge as the ship flew back into the fray. Sheets of metal flew in every direction as a pair of canons erupted. Suddenly, a few shots from the base caught up with the spacecraft, clipping it on the side. A long trail of smoke snaked through the air as the bounty hunter's vessel circled the area, searching for a place to land.

"What happened?" Donovan exclaimed, "What did they just hit?"

"Exterior hull has been cracked; damage to external ascension thrusters will make it tough for us to get off the ground."

"Oh, _brilliant_."

"Just keep your head on straight, I've got a plan."

Large groups of pirate militia mobilized on all fronts as the ship landed a short ways from the perimeter. Without hesitation, the two surfaced, loading their weapons as they prepared to face the oncoming swarm. Samus looked over at her partner,

"Whatever happens, I've got your back."

Don stood still, his determined glare fixated beyond the rocks and brush shielding them, "...and I've got yours. Let's send it."

Without another word, he stepped forward, sliding down the face of the craft, taking a long leap from the edge to the shallow gorge below. The Hunter quickly followed suit, priming her weapon as she caught up with the novice. Suddenly, the pirates revealed themselves, crawling over boulders and plant life into the ravine like vile, reptilian insects. Blasts of dark beam and blazing red energy flew about, mixing in with unworldly growls as they engaged the two interlopers. The many scattered rocks and trees made for decent enough cover as Donovan ducked and dove, popping off shots wherever he could as he cautiously made his way forward. Meanwhile, the space warrior charged headlong into the fight, frying any space thieves cretinous enough to approach. The pained roars of troopers and militia cut through the air as their bodies flew about from the force of the Hunter's blasts. Don looked out from behind cover, feeling a great surge of adrenaline begin to pump through him as he watched Samus decimate the squads with ease,

_All my life, all I've ever done is run and hide, but today, either the weakness dies...or I do._

"No. More. Fear."

A furious war cry echoed through the area as the young man leapt from his position, blade in one hand, shotgun in the other. In a single life-threatening move, he landed dead center of the conflict, blasting off both shells from the barrel, following up with rapid swipes and thrusts with the newly sharpened blade. Samus took rapid glances through the strife, eyes widening at the sight of her partner fighting more fiercely than ever before. The landed shots from the pillagers only seemed to fuel his drive as he continued on in a blind, volatile rage. A new side had indeed been revealed. The piercing cracks from his revolver sounded across the weathered gully as he downed more and more of the militia, releasing livid primal cries as he watched the small horde begin to scurry back.

_The beast inside has been awoken,_ Samus thought, watching in amusement as Don chased those that remained, _It was only a matter of time._

Just when the fighting appeared to be over, thick rumbles began to shake the ground beneath them. Moments later, a hulking Omega Pirate came soaring over the rocks and brush lining the ravine, sending tremors through the earth as it landed. The bounty hunter immediately readied her weapon, unleashing missile after missile on the monstrous creature. Unflinching, the colossal being slammed both fists into the ground, sending a powerful shockwave through the dirt, knocking both the Hunter and her partner back.

"There's no way my guns can damage that thing," Don shouted over the pirate's thunderous roar, "Its armor is too strong!"

"Stay behind me, I'll handle this!"

The Omega Elite suddenly lunged forward, missing Samus by mere inches as she hopped back. The space warrior let loose with blasts of energy and projectiles, assaulting the small weak points on the beast's armor. After a few tense moments of running and gunning, the weakened areas of the large pirate caused it to tumble forward, roaring angrily as Samus pelted it with additional fire. The being sluggishly regained its stance, activating its cloak.

"Aw, shit..." Donovan groaned, watching the massive opponent disappear from sight, "Please tell me you've got your infrared visor…"

"One step ahead of you." The Hunter replied, firing off numerous missiles where the creature once was, resulting in another deafening growl as they landed. The faint outline of the weakened pirate slowly began to fade back in as its camouflage shorted out. Without warning, the young man suddenly dashed off towards the being, unfolding his grapple as he snatched up a lone pirate grenade.

"What do you think you're doing?!" Samus called out.

With all his might, Don threw the hook, snagging the barely-visible pirate by the shoulder as it de-cloaked. The monster snarled as it swung its enormous claws, trying to knock off the pesky human now clinging to its back. It leapt into the air, landing hard with both fists on the ground, sending another kinetic blast through the Earth as it struggled to remove the importunate threat. Clinging on for dear life, Donovan crawled closer to the creature's head, doing everything in his power to avoid being hit. Down below, the Hunter, having identified this unspoken plan of his, proceeded to distract the pirate with continuous energy bursts and projectile fire to the legs. Don carefully perched himself behind the beast's head, grenade in hand. The relentless cannon fire from the space warrior eventually pierced the being's thick hide, forcing another pained roar from its fanged scowl. With no time to lose, Don reached down over its head, forcing the explosive into the pirate's agape jaw. The infuriated elite reached up, wrapping its large claws around the young man who grunted under the pressure of its grip,

"Samus…the grenade…shoot it!"

The hulking pirate turned, belligerently throwing the novice into the dirt below, stomping down on his legs as he attempted to stand. Don's horrific screams of agony sliced through the madness as cracks and snaps were heard beneath the beast's talons. In single a second of pure concentration, the Hunter locked onto the grenade lodged in the creature's mouth…then pulled the trigger. There came a bright flash and a loud crack, followed only by a powerful thud as the headless body of the Omega pirate fell lifelessly to the ground. Samus turned her attention back to her injured partner, activating her scanners as she sprinted over to him. She reached down, wrapping her free arm around his shaking body,

"This may hurt…" she warned, cringing at the sound of Donovan's tortured cries as she lifted him from the dirt. The bounty hunter quickly scaled the side of the gully's slope, thrust jumping to the top of her ship a short ways away.

"The bones in both of your legs are dust." She explained, carefully setting the young man down on the elevator platform, "It may take a while for the tech to heal you… In the meantime, I'll take care of the base. _Stay here_."

"What? No," Don winced through the sharp pain. "You can't finish without me!"

"Look, what you did to that group of pirates was, given your track record, impressive. Your setup for the Omega pirate was surprisingly effective and also quite incredible considering how long you managed to cling on…but you can't deny what it did to you in return. If it weren't for my ship's healing bay, you'd be crippled for life."

Samus paused as she activated the med tech, watching Donovan slowly descended to the interior, "I am _not _letting you risk your life _anymore_. _Stay here_."

Before the young man had a chance to protest, the Hunter leapt from the vessel's flank, pushing forward across the ravine below as she bolted for the nearby structure. Vicious sniper bolts stabbed at the ground around the dodgy space warrior, kicking up rocks and dirt wherever they struck. Activating the suit's speed boost, the bounty hunter ripped across the patchy ground, soaring high into the air as she jumped. The startled pirate sniper was quickly put down as Samus latched onto its perch, losing no time as she carried on along the base's open roof.

The feeble resistance was crushed in no time at all, leaving the anti-air turrets completely defenseless. One by one, the cannons fell, in a few cases literally as they tumbled from their shattered swivels into the massive gap below. Crashes and booms sounded from within the infrastructure as the thick hulls of the guns cratered the floor, crushing a few unfortunate pirates under their mass.

Utter chaos ensued as the warrior assaulted what remained, raining hell down on the bandits below. Projectiles flew about like a hail fire of explosive doom, blending with the blasts of accelerated galvanic energy fired in return. Aerotroopers swarmed the area as the Hunter descended, demolishing the weapons and machines cluttering the interior, setting the area ablaze in the wake of the destruction. The pirate force in this area was clearly much greater in size than previously expected.

The minutes passed like seconds as Samus fought, gradually becoming more vulnerable as her energy tanks slowly drained. The pillagers attacked with rabid ferocity, appearing to have momentarily gained the upper hand. The bounty hunter grunted through the blows of the troopers and militia, nearly emptying her missile reserves as the floors became increasingly littered with the bodies of the deceased. A thick, concentrated beam of energy suddenly sliced through the veil of weapon fire, clipping the space warrior on the side of the head. She stumbled back, watching as the culprit sniper's body was suddenly blasted from its perch by an unseen force, landing head first on the ground level. The Hunter looked back up, setting sights on Donovan, both shotgun barrels smoking as he drew his revolver, ready for the slew of pirates beginning to close in.

_Stubborn kid._

Dodging the pirates' wall of discharge, the Hunter readied her cannon, locking onto multiple targets and unleashing her final few missiles on the troopers closing in on her ill-armored partner. Don gave a quick nod, proceeding to finish off the few remaining units on the second floor. The final pirates fought with a drained but determined demeanor, not letting up for a single second. Despite their efforts, few results were yielded. In a short matter of minutes, the strife snuffed out, bringing the entirety of the base to a silent standstill.

Samus watched with an unimpressed glare as the young man slid down his grapple's rope to the bottom floor, grasping his newly wounded side in pain,

"Remember when I suggested you joining the military? Forget that; you seem to take issue with following orders."

Even through the discomfort, Don forced a grin, "No order is worth the life of a friend."

The Hunter paused, almost taken aback, "You…consider me a friend?"

"Well, yeah…I mean, we've fought alongside each other a few times now, hell, we even cuddled up the first night of knowing each other..."

"For _warmth_."

"…right. The point being: you don't just do stuff like that with someone you're simply an acquaintance with."

Samus let out a sigh, suppressing a smile, "You're bleeding…again. Let's get back to the ship; I'm curious to know the next part of my story."


	26. Chapter 26

Thin beams of silver light shone down from above as the massive overhead ceiling split apart, revealing the midday sky above. Antsy workers and scientists scrambled about, playing with their computers and devices as they prepared the enormous hangar. Hovering low over the open roof of the building was one of the large Galactic Federation battle cruisers, flashing its thruster intermittently as it lowered a massive instrument into the echoing bay. A moment later, a thin platform descended from the ship, unloading a crew of Federation mechanics accompanied by the Fleet Admiral. Everyone in the room closed in, converging on their plane-shifting visitors as they secured the strange package.

"This, people of Earth, is the very device which brought us here." Explained Dane, "An experimental piece of hyper jump equipment designed to allow for extended and prolonged interstellar travel of the kind previously never seen. As most of you know, it is the fault of malfunctioning components for our being here. Now, as part of the deal recently put in place by your world's governments, in return for the generous asylum you offered, the Galactic Federation has agreed to share its advancements in space tech and defense mechanisms."

Excited murmurs reverberated through the large crowd.

"Here before you all sits one of the most advanced machines we have yet constructed…one apparently possessing abilities far beyond our own comprehension. With enough luck, perhaps the combined efforts of our two worlds may lead to some new discovery, closure perhaps, to the proverbial question of 'why?'. I have hope that eventually we will begin to understand the true nature of the apparatus, and if we're fortunate enough, gain the knowledge we need to help us get back home. I wish you all good luck."

Without another word, the man turned back for the magnetic elevator, ascending to the hulking vessel above as the horde of scientists crowded the otherworldly machine.


	27. Chapter 27

The Hunter's eyes looked longingly out through the cockpit screen, gazing upon the afternoon sun as it slowly started to drop towards the horizon. Her mind lazily began to drift, wondering if she would ever see home again. From what Donovan had told her, it was implied that she would…though for how long? According to him, the end of Zebes would soon be brought about after her return…and the last of the Metroids would fall along with it. If only there was a way to stop the catastrophe…

…_it requires that Mother Brain be left alive…_

The phrase echoed endlessly in the bounty hunter's head, tormenting her with that which she could not change. She took a deep breath, enduring the pain in her chest. An incessant duality ravaged her consciousness; wanting nothing to do with knowing her future…whilst being so enthralled with curiosity that she couldn't help but indulge.

"Oh, _man…_" Don suddenly stumbled from the ship's medical bay, "I still can't get over how crazy that thing is_…_literally makes you good as new!"

"It also requires an enormous amount of energy to operate." The Hunter explained, turning around in the chair.

The novice wore an expression of mild embarrassment, "Yeah…sorry about that."

"It's alright; I prefer it over having you bleed out on the floor. That being said, power levels are at an all-time low…we're going to have to rest here while the ship recharges."

"How long will that take?"

"Long enough for you to pick up where you last left off."

The young man was hesitant, "The last thing I told you sent you into a fit of distraught anguish…I think it's only fair to warn you; it doesn't get any better."

Samus held her silence.

"Are you sure you want to know what happens next?"

"I can handle it."

Don nodded reluctantly, clearing his throat, "A short while after the destruction of Zebes, you come across a distress signal from the decommissioned space facility known as the Bottle Ship, which had seemingly been abandoned for some time. Not long after landing, you run into the 7th Platoon lead by Adam Malkovich."

The bounty hunter's eyes lit up, "Adam? What is he doing there?"

"He doesn't explain. You decide to stay for the sake of the platoon and aid them in taking down a collective assembly of purple insects, after which Adam allows you to cooperate in their mission, under the one condition that you follow his every order. He tells you to locate the Exam Center in Sector 1, and upon arriving, you discover the body of a cybernetic Zebesian space pirate branded with the insignia of the Galactic Federation. The platoon then arrives; quickly discovering that the Bottle Ship's purpose was to conduct research on bio weapons, an act, as I know you're aware, that is seen as a felony within Federation occupied spaces."

Samus sat quietly for a moment, "Who is in charge?"

"A woman by the name of Madeline Bergman…_Dr._ Madeline Bergman."

With that, Don nonchalantly sat down and unsheathed his blade, carefully inspecting its edge, "So, where's our next target?"

"North. Every other pirate installation on this continent has been intercepted and destroyed, whether by Federation or Earthly forces. The information we obtained left them with nowhere to hide. It's only a matter of time now before every last one of them is wiped from your planet."

Don nodded, turning his gaze to the orange glare of the setting sun. He watched as its golden rays pierced the ship's window, setting the interior aglow with the brazen radiance. He began to drift in his head, wondering what would come of all of this when it was over. Would he ever see the space warrior again…or would she simply disappear? He knew full well the Hunter's place was not here, yet he couldn't help but hope she would stay.

_This has been the most amazing experience of my entire life. Though terrifying and life-threatening; the agony and the strife...it was all worth it to meet her._

_...strange though it may sound._

* * *

"Tell me about Adam." Samus's smooth voice glided through the darkness.

Don stared blankly up through the shadowy umbra, listening to the sound of the Hunter's gentle breathing beside him, "You don't want to know about Adam."

"Please, tell me. I want to know."

A momentary pause lingered about. Finally, the young man responded, "He calls you an outsider."

As expected, Samus remained silent.

"The word choice is deliberate; you can see it in his eyes. It cuts you deep. From that point on, your interactions with him rarely extend beyond receiving and acknowledging orders."

Even through the blackness, the hurt in the bounty hunter's eyes was evident, "…_outsider?_"

"Don't take it personally, you know Adam; that's just how he is."

Samus nodded, shutting her eyes. An uneasy guilt took a hold of Donovan as he watched the Hunter set herself to rest. He knew there was nothing he could do to change her future, but regardless, he felt terrible.

"Hey…" he whispered gently, "you gonna be alright?"

The bounty hunter shifted under the covers, "At first light, we move out."


	28. Chapter 28

A lengthy shadow cast itself upon the ground. Two enormous talons gripped at the dirt beneath, running long claws through the dusty grains. A pair of hellish yellow eyes sat on either side of an elongated head, taking a gander at the strange but familiar world surrounding them. So fresh, so ripe for the picking. So much to see…so much to take.

Only one obstacle remained.

An ear-piercing roar echoed across the land as the creature spread its magnificent wingspan, taking a massive leap from its perch, soaring gracefully down the mountain side into the lush valley below.


	29. Chapter 29

"Soaring across the oxygen's blue,  
So stunning as to have one conclude:  
No longer am I of this dimension's swirl,  
For it is beauty as such that is not of this world."

The Hunter raised an eyebrow in confusion, "What are you saying?"

Don looked back, peeling his gaze from the cockpit window, "I'm attempting poetry...emphasis on '_attempting'._ It's trickier than I thought it'd be; story writing comes much easier."

"You write?"

"You bet I do; and not just stories, I do music and everything. In a lot of ways, it feels instinctual to me, like I was born to do it."

"An entertainer by nature."

"Heh…I like to think so."

For a moment, there was a pause. The young man seemed hesitant, nervous even, "I…even wrote a few stories with you in them."

The bounty hunter looked up curiously, "Did you?"

Donovan looked away, hiding his abashment, "It's stupid, I know. Creativity likes to manifest itself in strange ways…"

"How did you portray me?"

The novice looked back, intrigued by the interest, "What?"

"I'm just curious as to how you wrote me."

"Well…I always pictured you as an individual that was intelligent, but secretly curious; like someone who had done it all, yet still sought purpose, like they hadn't truly found themselves…"

Don lifted his gaze to meet the Hunter's, "Is that accurate at all?"

The look in Samus's eyes said it all, "…yes."

"Wait, really?"

The space warrior nodded.

The novice seemed at a loss for words, "Well…how accurate was I?"

"…entirely. How much do you know _really_ know about me?"

"Clearly more than I give myself credit for…"

"Can you at least tell me _how_ you know?"

The young man looked down, avoiding Samus's eyes, "Remember our deal."

"Why can't you just tell me now?"

No response.

"Donovan."

There came a sudden change in tone, "Because I'm afraid that once I do, you'll no longer have any use for me."

The Hunter bore a look of shock, "What? Why would you say something like that?"

"This, _all of this_, has been the adventure of a lifetime for me. I got to fly into space, I got to fight pirates, I got to meet _you__._ This is one of the greatest experiences I've ever been a part of…and I don't want it to end. I'm afraid that once I tell you everything I know, I'll no longer hold the same value I once did."

Samus sat back in the pilot's seat, smiling faintly, "Well, clearly you don't know me as well as we both thought…because I am _not _that cold. You think I'd just throw you out once we were done? I would have to be pretty heartless to do that."

The Hunter rose to her feet, placing her hands on Don's shoulders, "Look, whatever the reason may be for you knowing what you know, it won't change my opinion of you…that's a promise."

The young man grinned, "I'll hold you to that."

"Go ahead, I'm not known to disappoint."

"Oh believe me, I know."

* * *

Enormous tectonic formations slowly loomed by as the bounty hunter's ship flew low over the valley. A long string of lush meadows blanketed the land between the mountains, like a bright green stream of fertility.

"For an inhabitant of Earth, you seem remarkably astonished by its complexion."

"In _my_ defense, I've never been to Switzerland before," Donovan replied, staring wide-eyed out the window, "It's so much more beautiful than I could have ever imagined…kind of reminds me of you."

"What?"

"What?"

Samus blinked, shrugging off her partner's playful banter, "Just keep an eye out for enemy ships."

The agile vessel speedily soared across the deep valley before finally closing in on one of the mountains. A gaping hole scarred its rocky side, looking as if to have been dug out intentionally.

Don looked on with a defeated expression, "Oh no…"

"What?"

"Is _that_ where the pirates are hiding?"

The bounty hunter eased up on the thrust, preparing to land, "That's what my sources are telling me, why?"

"Long story short, the Swiss have bases and military bunkers built _into_ these colossal mountains…the networks could stretch for miles; do you know how many pirates could be hiding in there?"

"Nothing we can't handle."

"Nothing _you_ can't handle, _I'm _still new to this."

"And you've grown to show exceptional resilience in the face of adversity, even when stricken with fear."

"I'm pretty sure it's _because_ of the fear that I was able to show such 'resilience'…"

"Either way, you're still here aren't you?"

The novice let out a sigh, "Yeah…"

Samus stood up, allowing the Varia suit to materialize around her, "You'll be fine; I believe in you. Now let's move."

The echoes of the duo's careful footsteps bounced dryly off the concrete hangar floor, snuffing out on the rocky walls. Don's expressionless eyes moved about, ignoring the lights flickering above,

"I don't like this...it's too quiet."

Suddenly, a large door at the far end of the room slid open, giving leeway to the large squad of pirates waiting just beyond its thick layer.

"Take cover!" the Hunter shouted, firing off a rocket before diving behind a large crate.

Donovan moved in tandem with the space warrior, seeking cover as he popped off a few shots at the approaching marauders. Within seconds, they were upon them. Samus ducked and dodged as she unleashed a barrage of weapon fire on the overly confident space thieves, taking out multitudes as they scrambled to overpower her. Nearby, her young partner let loose with both shotgun shells, quickly proceeding to finish off what remained of his revolver. He gritted his teeth through the pain as he was struck time and time again, using the discomfort to fuel his deeply-rooted primal rage as he persevered. The shouts and growls of pirates filled the air as more emptied out into the open, discharging countless bolts of energy into the fray. Don yelped in pain as a nearby pirate landed a powerful strike on his jaw, sending him soaring back towards the Hunter.

"There's too many," he grunted, regaining his footing, "We can't win this!"

"Get behind me, I have a plan!" Samus advised, landing a kick on an approaching trooper.

The novice speedily moved for the Hunter, sticking a creeping trooper with his blade. Bits of cement and shrapnel flew about as the wall of alien plasma peppered the hangar, tearing holes in crates, shredding pieces of the floor. Samus wasted no time readying her weapon as Donovan stood fast behind her. In the next moment, the entirety of the room was illuminated by a brilliant flash of light. The bounty hunter was pushed back by the force of her cannon as an enormous spout of energy was unleashed, obliterating all those unfortunate enough to be in its line of fire. Seconds later, the light died down, bringing the area to a silent standstill. All around sat small piles of ash and scorched debris; not a single pirate in sight. Suddenly, Samus's Varia suit began to shift. One by one, the many pieces of her armor dissolved into tiny mechanical particles, appearing to absorb into her zero suit as they faded.

Don looked on with wide eyes, "Did…did you just…did you just use your final smash?"

"What are you talking about?"

"…nothing, never mind."

There suddenly came a short breath of wind. Something sliced through the air. A loud crash sounded through the hangar as massive steel claws landed, knocking Samus and Don to the side, sending them skidding across the floor. The Hunter rolled over, narrowing her eyes as she set sights on the enormous beast standing before them,

"Ridley."

Donovan scrambled to his feet, snatching up his shotgun as he prepared to fire on the ferocious space dragon, only to be swatted aside by one of its long, bony arms. The monster leaned in, letting out an ear-piercing roar as it shifted its gaze to the bounty hunter. Samus hastily leapt to her feet, ducking and dodging about as she rapidly fired off shots from her pistol. The snarling creature swung and stabbed at her with its claws and tail, growling in frustration as it continued to miss. A bright flare suddenly sprouted from its jaws. The Hunter dove out of the way just in time as a powerful beam of condensed energy was unleashed from Ridley's maw, leaving long scorch marks as it tore across the floor. Another quick swipe from his long tail caught the bounty hunter off guard, causing her to lose her footing as she flipped over onto the floor. Farther off, Don regained himself, revealing a scornful glare as he removed his mask. He watched as the dragon threw down a claw, pinning Samus to the floor.

Something inside of the young man snapped.

_Not today, you son of a bitch._

Without hesitation, the novice snatched up his weapon and dashed for the commotion. Anxious adrenaline skyrocketed as he watched another beam begin to charge. The Hunter struggled fiercely as she attempted to free herself from Ridley's iron grip, all to no avail. Brighter and brighter. Mere feet from the beast, Donovan leapt into the air; passing between the creature's widely spread jaws. The monstrous pirate reared up in sudden agony as the blast from both shotgun shells disrupted his charge, lodging in his throat. An infuriated roar followed as he slashed and clawed at this new foe of his. Samus speedily rose to her feet, resuming her pelting barrage of pistol energy as the space dragon lunged and snapped at the young man. Then, in the midst of the frenetic struggle, without warning, Ridley aimed upwards, unleashing multiple blasts of energy into the ceiling above. The hangar shook under the might of the vile creature as it began to crumble and fall to pieces. The winged beast let out an exultant roar as he soared up into the air, firing off additional shots into the arching entry way. Don watched helplessly as the colossal space pirate flew off, leaving them behind in the collapsing infrastructure. He frantically looked back to the entrance. The ship…it was too far. He suddenly felt himself taken to the ground.

Yellow and red particles swirled about.


	30. Chapter 30

Deadness. Stillness. Silence.

Gleaming rays of rich sunlight shone down from above, washing over the heaping mounds of rubble and concrete. Lingering clouds of dust slowly thinned out as they settled into the piles, floating down through the air like filthy little snowflakes.

A faint rumble sounded beneath the wreck, and then settled. There came a shift, and then another. An armored hand suddenly broke the surface of the gravelly ruins, reaching up into the air as it stretched open. A grunt was heard as a figure burst through the mountainous pile of ceiling debris.

Samus surveyed the area around her, carefully reaching down to help her partner out of the mess. Donovan wore a sobered expression as he rose, brushing the dust from his cloak. He looked deep into the Hunter's shielded eyes,

"You saved my life...again. Thank you."

The space warrior felt herself gripped by a smile, "It's what I do."

Her coms suddenly came alive as Dane's voice crackled through,

"Samus, Ridley has been spotted here on Earth."

"Yeah…he just stopped to say hi."

"We have new pirate signals popping up all over the planet! They appear to be sleeper squadrons not recorded in the pirate database. Something big is about to happen. Rendezvous with the fleet immediately; it's time to end this."

"Affirmative, I'm on my way."

"What was that all about?" Don asked, retrieving his mask from beneath the rubble.

The Hunter carefully stepped over the wreckage, taking long strides towards the ship, "We're leaving. Let's move."

* * *

Samus kept her gaze fixed forward, "I do not enjoy suspense, Don."

The young man took a deep breath, letting it out slowly, "During your search through Sector 2, you come across the body of Maurice, the 07th Platoon's engineer. It is also there that you first discover Madeline Bergman. Believing that you were sent to silence her, she flees. You try to talk her down, but to no avail. She implies that Maurice was killed by a fellow Federation soldier."

"A traitor amongst the group?"

"Most likely. Before you have a chance to pursue Madeline, you are attacked by an unidentified Federation trooper operating a Ferrocrusher. You eventually destroy the machine and the operator escapes. Returning to Sector 3, you conclude that there is a traitor amongst the Platoon and name him "The Deleter". You run into Anthony shortly afterwards, where he explains that he was sent to open the magma-eruption port in the geothermal power plant, along with the rest of the Platoon. Suspiciously, he is the only one to make it to the rendezvous point; the rest are nowhere to be found. You two part not long afterwards, eventually meeting back up at the geothermal power plant, where you are both attacked by Ridley."

Samus wore a look of mild concern.

"He knocks Anthony off the edge. From that point on, he is assumed to be dead."

"No…"

"In a fit of rage, you take up arms and battle Ridley once more. He escapes."

The novice took to one of the nearby seats, leaning back in silence as he stared distantly out the window.

"Don…about Anthony…"

"He survives."

Samus closed her eyes, letting out a sigh of relief, "Good."

"I kinda figured I wouldn't be able to leave you hangin' on that one…" Donovan continued, blowing dust out of his revolver's chamber, "It's far too sensitive."

The space warrior nodded, looking back to the glass shield. The beauty of the North Atlantic passed beneath them in total silence as they shot across its face, bound for Peru.


	31. Chapter 31

"Report."

"Admiral, sir; Ridley was last spotted ten minutes ago with a large group of pirate fighters over the town of Lagos, in the country known as Portugal, south-westbound."

The aging veteran frowned, pondering this new information, "Thank you, Ensign."

"Sir…their current trajectory puts them on a path directly to us."

A few heads turned, peering over at the young officer.

Dane rubbed his chin curiously, "Is there any evidence to suggest that they may have zeroed in on our signal?"

"No, sir, none…although, if I may, it does seem quite suspicious that the group should occupy one continent before suddenly pulling a 180 and making a beeline across an entire ocean into another hemisphere…there's just no logic to it.

"And in the event that they are headed for us, how long would it be before they arrive?"

"Approximately eight hours from now, sir."

The Admiral nodded, suddenly turning his attention to all those on the bridge, "Alright people, get to your stations; I want the Olympus up and off the ground in five minutes. If that damn space lizard somehow thinks he's got the upper hand coming here, he's got another thing comin'."

Outside, the ship's massive jets flared up, sending rumbles through the vessel.


	32. Chapter 32

Mandibles twitched and eyes narrowed as the Urtragian scout spied from the distant Peruvian ruins, watching the large Federation ship as its main thrusters illuminated, preparing for takeoff. The pirate growled and clicked information into the com pad on its wrist, alerting its superior that the humans were attempting to flee. A garbled static reply sounded through the device, to which the sneaky marauder responded with a short grunt.

Hoping onto a small nearby stealth craft, the pirate took off, trailing distantly behind the massive Federation vessel.


	33. Chapter 33

Donovan gazed past the glass, putting on a confused expression as he peered down as his GPS, "Hey, uh...you know Peru is _that_ way, right? Oh, who am I kidding? Of course you don't…"

The young man pointed to the left of the cockpit window, "Peru is that way; you're about thirty-five degrees off, give or take."

"We're not going to Peru."

"I thought you said that's where the Olympus was?"

"Not anymore; I've recently received word that they're moving north. They have reason to believe that Ridley and his crew have tracked them."

"Shit…well, where are they headed?"

With the flick of a switch, Samus brought up the ship's digital map, pinpointing one of the countries in the Caribbean "…I'm not too sure how to pronounce the name."

Don raised an eyebrow, "Cuba? Sweet, guess I'll check _that_ one off the bucket list…"

The Hunter chuckled, "_Bucket list?_ Your strange lingo can be quite amusing at times…although you tend to be a bit vulgar, if you don't mind me saying."

"Ah fuck, sorry 'bout that; I guess I'm not doing a whole lot for the Canadian stereotype…" The novice replied, retrieving a gunmetal grey flask from his pocket.

"What do you have there?"

"Hmm? Oh, liquor."

Samus eyed the young man curiously, "How long has that been on you?"

"…the entire time, why?"

"Strange that after all the battles you've been through, the container hasn't been damaged in the slightest."

Don let out a short laugh as he took a swig, "I know, right? I consider myself pretty lucky…want any?"

The space warrior seemed hesitant for a moment, before finally taking the flask from her partner's outstretched hand, "Sure, why not?"

Upon taking a sip, she winced, "Ugh, what _is_ that?"

"Vodka."

"What?"

"Vodka."

"What- I don't know what that word is…what is-"

"Well, it's not exactly an English word, it's Russian...at least I think...all I know is that it translates to 'little water', mainly on account of the fact that over in East Europe, they drink this shit like it's water."

"...and they _enjoy_ it?"

Donovan paused briefly, "Yeah, kinda weird, isn't it? Tastes like Sharpie ink, I don't know what keeps me comin' back to it…"

"Well, that settles it; the humans of this dimension are _just_ as confusing as the humans back home."

"No surprise there, we're basically wired to be crazy."

The Hunter leaned in on the controls and increased the ship's thrust, still shuddering from the liquor's taste, "I am inclined to agree."


	34. Chapter 34

The gorgeous blue face of the picturesque Caribbean drifted gently below, set in stark contrast to the fierce gun metal grey Federation ships that soared above it. Up on the bridge, the aging Admiral stood, staring out upon the ocean with steely eyes. The beauty of the planet mirrored that of his homeworld, a thought that never failed to calm his electrically-shot nerves…if even a little.

"We are coming up on land now, sir." The navigator announced.

"You heard the man, ease up on the thrusters, boys." Dane replied, bracing himself as the enormous flagship began to slow.

Up ahead, a long stretch of land came into view, taking the ocean's place as it passed beneath them. Given the immense size of the island, it certainly wouldn't be difficult to find a decent place to hide, a move that could surely help them avoid any unwanted early confrontation. Even with that in mind, the crew remained on edge. The estimated size of the enemy force rumored to be tracking them could easily overwhelm their numbers if they were to attack…a chance no one was willing to take.

Off in the distance, far behind the cluster of Federation warships, a tiny, faded vehicle sped just above the water's surface, riding the wake at the speed of several cigar boats. Behind the red energy shield covering the cockpit, its reptilian pilot observed and studied, keeping a watchful eye on the humans as they soared, blissfully unaware of its presence.


	35. Chapter 35

"You think they're alright?" Don asked, glancing over at Samus as she concentrated on following the set coordinates.

"That all depends on whether or not Ridley's gotten to them."

The young man shifted uncomfortably, growing ever anxious by the second, "I just hate not knowing, y'know? The suspense is destroying me."

"Don't dwell on it too much…it'll only worsen the tension."

"Yeah, I know... Too much thinking is bad for your head."

Samus nodded, peering over at her companion in a way that suggested she still had something to say,

"Look…I know that you struggle with self-confidence; it's no mystery to me that you don't exactly think highly of yourself, and I know how it feels because I've been there. That being said, constantly focusing on the power and might of the enemy will not help; it will only discourage you and bring negativity to your mind."

Donovan sighed, "I just can't help it."

"Take a deep breath; calm yourself. Imagine something beautiful, something pleasant, something to help you relax."

"Don't really need to _imagine_ when she's sitting so close…" the young man murmured, looking off.

"What?"

"What?"

An awkward silence filled the space between them.

"Don, are you flirting with me?"

The novice rubbed the back of his neck, taking on the slightest blush, "Would you hate me if I was?"

Samus smiled slightly, turning back to the cockpit window, "Never a dull moment, talking to you."

A small device on the dash suddenly began to flash and buzz quietly.

"We're approaching the Olympus." The Hunter stated, "Strap yourself in."

Don quickly did as he was told, feeling the g-force shift as the ship's thrust was brought to a minimum. Down below, the beautiful white sandy beaches of Cuba slipped by, followed immediately by lush forestry and old architecture.

"Good Lord…" Donovan breathed as he peered out the window, "Why did I _ever_ put off coming here?"

Their view of the horizon was soon taken over as they approached the Olympus, its thick hull, though damaged, continuing to shine true in the light of the sun. A few fighters flew about the scene, scouting the area as the space warrior's vessel neared the docking bay.

Samus quickly rose to her feet, allowing her Varia suit to materialize, "No time to waste; let's move."

Donovan's eyes widened as he slowly took his first step off of the platform and into the hangar. All around, Federation workers moved to and fro, all dwarfed by the impressive combat ships hanging from the docking railings up above.

"Incredible…just like in the game…"

Samus bore a confused look, "What?"

"Nothing." The novice replied, avoiding her inquisitive glance.

Many of the troopers and workers nearby gave respectful nods as they took notice to the armor-clad Hunter, many of whom also looked on with perplexed expressions as the young man strode in tandem by her side.

"So, uh…the higher-ups…they won't mind me being here with you, will they?"

"Don't worry," the space warrior reassured, leading the way down a long hallway, "I'll take care of it."

A sharp hiss sounded from the retractable doors at the end of the corridor as they swiftly slid into the walls, revealing the ship's bustling command center. The workers didn't seem to take much notice as the Hunter and her companion strode past, making their way towards the older gentleman standing near the glass, peering out across the landscape.

"Aw, no way," Don remarked under a hushed tone, "Admiral Dane."

Behind her visor, Samus shot the young man a suspicious glance, "How do you know of him?"

The novice immediately took on an air of nervousness, "Oh, um…you mentioned him to me."

"_Did _I?"

"…yeah, I remember it. Come on, now; _no time to waste_."

The Hunter narrowed her eyes questioningly as Donovan continued forth, his pace slightly quicker than before. The two stopped a few steps behind the high-ranking officer, still as statues as he turned to face them,

"Samus, welcome back…and who might this be?"

The young man reached out to shake the Admiral's hand, "Donovan Gordon, sir. It's an honor to meet you."

"He serves as my guide," the space warrior explained, "He knows the planet well, and has proven to be useful. You can trust him."

Don kept his eyes forward, awkwardly ignoring the woman's glare as she finished.

"Very well." The veteran nodded, motioning to a nearby monitor, "Around eight hours ago, Ridley was spotted in the northern hemisphere of the planet. He and a rather sizeable group of pirate war vessels were beginning to traverse the ocean on a trajectory that would have led them right to us."

The man hit a few buttons on the console, bringing up a slew of images of the war party's cross-hemisphere voyage, "Unsurprisingly, with our forces scattered about the globe as they are, aiding in the fight against the newly-surfaced sleeper squadrons, we had no choice but to relocate. There's no way we would survive an attack from Ridley's crew, not in our current state; there are simply too many of them."

"And where are they now?" Samus piped up.

"Unfortunately, we do not know. It would appear as though Ridley abstained from inputting any information about his crew or his position into the pirate mainframe."

"Clever dragon." Donovan murmured.

"Indeed."

"What can we do, Admiral?" the Hunter asked.

"At the moment, we need you here with us. You're the best we've got, and with our damaged tech, there's no telling whether or not the pirates have tracked us."

"Any backup?"

"We recalled a quarter of our forces around the time of Ridley's last sighting; they should be here within the hour. For now, we request that you scout the area, keep watch and let us know of anything out of the ordinary."

"Understood."

"Good luck to you both."

A nervous tension followed the two as they exited the bridge, only to be heightened as the thick metal plates sealed shut, isolating them in the quiet hallway just outside. For a moment they stood in silence, neither one of them moving a muscle.

"You're upset with me, aren't you?" Donovan asked, attempting to hide his anxiety.

"Very perceptive." The Hunter replied, echoing that same cold tone from their first encounter. She took a step towards the young man, prompting him to back into the wall, "I'm sick of these mind games, Don, I'm sick of you hiding from me, and I am absolutely _finished_ dragging information out of you. The first thing you did was reveal to me more information about myself than even _I _cared to remember…and then there was the disabling of the pirate technology, something you could not have _ever_ conceivably come into contact with in your entire life…and now you're hinting that you may even be familiar with ranking figures in the Federation. I'm sorry, but I can't afford to ignore that. I don't think you're lying, that much is obvious…but it's clear that you're not giving me the whole truth. You're going to tell me what the hell is going on, and you're going to tell me _now_."

An uncomfortable deadness passed as Donovan tried to process how to answer to this new demand.

"I…I don't know how…"

"Donovan, we've been running in circles with this for too long…I _need_ _answers_."

"You think you're the only one here with questions? I've been hesitant to tell you because, to be honest, I don't even fully grasp what's going on here, myself. They say the truth is often stranger than fiction, and I don't exactly think it's overstating it to say that the line between said truth and fiction has, as of late, been blurred into oblivion."

"What are you talking about?"

Another pregnant silence.

"…you're not supposed to exist." Don finally answered.

"…_what?_"

An enormous boom suddenly rattled the ship, taking the two completely off guard.

"What the shit-?" the novice exclaimed, struggling to stay on his feet as the rumble subsided.

Without a moment to spare, the Hunter dashed for the doorway at the hall's opposite end, her heart sinking as she entered the hangar. The entire east wing of the Olympus docking bay had been blasted away, leaving nothing but open space for the massive pirate raiding party just beyond its seam. The space warrior instantly went to work, supporting her allies as she unleashed missile after missile, bolt after bolt at the oncoming threat. She was soon joined by Donovan as he returned to her side, taking out a stealthy marauder creeping up behind her.

"Talk about being saved by the bell, eh?" He shouted over the insanity.

"I don't know what that means!"

"I would have _never _guessed!"

The room quickly became filled with shouts, growls and the frantic cries of the soon-deceased as the chaos ramped up. All around, plasma discharge flew this way and that, peppering the walls, humans, pirates and ships alike. In the thick of it, Samus fought furiously, backed by Donovan as he brought up the rear.

"So, what now?" he sounded off, yelping as he took a shot to the shoulder, "There's hundreds of them! Can't you use that massive beam thing you shot earlier?"

"I don't have _nearly_ the energy reserves for a second shot like that, the suit isn't charged!"

"Oh, for fuck's sake, how long does it take?" the young man yelled across the carnage, frantically taking cover behind a crate.

"Longer than we've got!"

"_Seriously?_ It's been, like, ten hours since you last fired it!"

"We are fighting for our lives, and _this_ is what we're arguing about?"

"Apparently!" Donovan replied, emptying both shotgun barrels into an oncoming trooper, "So just to be clear, we're screwed, right?"

"Not yet!" The Hunter reassured as she took Donovan to the ground, saving them both from a heavy stream of energy discharge, "…so don't you dare stop now."

Without a missed beat, there came a familiar breath of wind, followed immediately by the painful sting of large claws latching onto them. The space warrior and her companion were swiftly thrown across the hangar, landing hard against a hulking crate at the far end, followed by the piercing war cry of the antagonistic space dragon proudly announcing his arrival. With zero time to lose, Samus jumped back to her feet, discharging a slew of guided missiles at the spatial serpent, drawing him away from Donovan who slowly regained his posture, taking in deep breaths as he recovered from a harsh winding. Ridley jumped and flew about, taking just as many hits as he was unleashing, simultaneously attempting to ward off the newly emerging Federation troops as they poured in from various doors around the hangar. Brave engineers and maintenance workers also joined in, jumping into the hellish scene and supporting the soldiers with flak from the nearby defense batteries.

An excited laugh escaped Donovan's lips as he speedily reloaded his weapons, unable to hide the cocky grin spreading behind his mask, "You guys are so screwed, now!"

Now evenly matched, the pirates attacked with everything they had, dropping Berserker Lords and Commandos into the strife, accompanied by support fire from the many dropships hovering above. Strangely enough, the marauders seemed to be doing very little to stop the fresh influx of enemy troops… The room soon began to glow with the intense light of energy bolts flying back and forth, blackening the surfaces they struck. A thunderous crash sounded out as one of the docked fighters dropped from the shot latches up above, flattening two Berserkers under its immense weight. A small group of Federation grenadiers reveled in the success of their quick strategic thinking, roaring with triumph.

On the opposite end of the hangar, Ridley and Samus traded blows, thrashing crates and equipment as they struggled to get the upper hand on one another. The dragon's roars of battle flooded the room, trumping even the noise of conflict as they rang out. Driven by sheer determination, the space warrior dipped and dodged the voracious jaws of the beast, narrowly avoiding the searing heat of the energy rays erupting from within. A shriek of pain abruptly escaped the serpent as a vicious spray of buckshot pellets struck one of his eyes, blinding him on the left.

"Ahoy, matey!" Donovan shouted, leaping from an overturned vehicle onto the snout of the imposing pirate.

Ridley furiously attempted to claw at the human, but was halted as Samus's grapple lasso snagged his wrist, ruthlessly tugging him to the side. Don had only managed to fire off a single shot into the monster's head before he was swiftly swatted to the floor by the other claw, narrowly avoiding being crushed underfoot as the Hunter dove in, tackling him to relative safety.

"Your risk-taking has gotten out of hand." She scolded.

"Monkey see, monkey do." The novice replied innocently, ducking in an attempt to dodge the swipe of the space dragon's oncoming tail, though not quite quick enough as he and the Hunter were both struck and tossed to the side. Giving neither the chance to stand up, Ridley pinned the two to the floor, a look of fury coursing behind his only intact eye,

"Words cannot describe my seething hatred for you…" he rasped, "…this…ends…now!"

A thick orange hue began to emanate from the back of his throat, becoming almost unbearably bright as the final shot was charged…but before it was unleashed, a stream of energy bolts from one of the far off defense batteries struck the dragon in the head, disrupting the attack and knocking him to the side.

The Hunter hastily jumped back up, only to find the pirate forces in retreat with the heavily damaged space dragon bringing up the rear.

"…so…did we lose?" Donovan winced, rising to his feet.

Samus watched with a disgruntled glare as the marauders grew smaller and smaller in the distance, "I don't know…"

_"ATTENTION, ALL AVAILABLE UNITS REPORT TO THE BRIDGE, IMMEDIATELY. ALL AVAILABLE UNITS TO THE BRIDGE."_

A thick rumble of heavy footsteps flooded the hangar as the remaining troopers funneled through the various doors, bound for the command center.

"Don, move!" the space warrior called out, making a dash for the exit.

"I'm not an enhanced human, dammit, hold up!" the young man replied, quickly falling behind.

The bridge doors, pocked with impact marks, painfully inched their way open, revealing the badly damaged interior of the command center. The room bustled with activity as medics and those lucky enough to be in one piece tended to the bruised and wounded. The Hunter quickly approached the injured Admiral, helped up by a pair of troopers as a doctor examined his bleeding head.

"Sir, what happened-?"

"Samus listen to me; Ridley came here looking for the hyper-jump tech…" the man breathed, wincing from the pain, "…but it's not with us, it was given to the Earth-goers to study as part of our agreement with them. He found the coordinates; Samus…Ridley has the coordinates for the device."

Dane gritted his teeth as he raised his arm, pointing to a nearby terminal, "…they're in there. Download the location…stop him…if he gets his slimy claws on that thing, we're all as good as dead."

The space warrior gave a quick salute and turned to the cracked console, interfacing with the machine just as Don flew in through the half-wrecked entryway.

"Good fuck! What the hell happened here?"

"The hangar was a diversion." One of the soldiers replied, "…we didn't notice soon enough."

"Ridley was after powerful experimental Federation tech," The Hunter replied, "the likes of which responsible for bringing us here..."

"_Not _Federation tech…" the Admiral corrected. Many shocked heads snapped and turned, eyeing the seasoned officer, waiting for an explanation.

"The device was stolen pirate technology," the man revealed, "It was taken during a raid on one of their installations not long before we arrived here. Upon discovering what it was capable of, we quickly went to work reverse-engineering it. For political reasons, it was falsely claimed to have been the product of our own ingenuity…when the opposite was the case. I am truly sorry for having been dishonest with you all…we should have told you the truth from the beginning. That's why this is of the utmost urgency…if Ridley gets a hold of that tech, it's very likely he'll already know how to use it. We can't risk it falling into his hands, even for a moment."

"I understand, Admiral." Samus affirmed, retracting her cannon from the port as the download completed, "Don, move."

* * *

"So, about the whole _me-withholding-information_ thing…"

"I don't want to hear it, Donovan." The Hunter's icy tone panned out as she hit the thrust.

"No, exactly, that's my point," The young man replied, staggering from the sudden momentum, "you're not going to _want_ to hear it in the first place…that's partially why I've been hesitant to tell you."

"What do you mean?" Samus asked, letting out an exhausted groan.

"I _mean_ you're not going to like what you hear. What I have to say neither makes sense, nor is it comforting."

"That is not particularly surprising seeing as the last thing you revealed to me on the subject was that I am, and I quote, 'not supposed to exist'."

"…_yeah,_ an admittedly poor choice of words on my part…"

"An understatement, at best." The Hunter scoffed quietly.

"Look, I'm trying here; I really am…it's just that finding the right words is so much harder than I thought it'd be."

"I find that quite ironic; coming from a self-proclaimed _writer _of all things." Her snide emphasis of 'writer' cut the young man deep for reasons he couldn't seem to grasp, "Shouldn't words be your specialty? It can't _possibly_ be that hard!"

There came a sudden but familiar snap from within, "Yeah, well next time you're face to face with an _idolized_ _fictional character_, feel free to show me just how 'easy' it is!"

"_What?_"

A dead silence befell the air in the small ship, its confines going ice cold. Don blinked in sudden realization, "Oh fuck, I just said that out loud, didn't I?"

"_Yes, you did._" The bounty hunter replied, slowly rising from her seat.

The young man felt as though the walls were closing in around him, "…well…there you have it. That's what I've been struggling to tell you."

"…a _fictional_ character? That's what you claim I am?"

"It's strange…I spent so long wrestling with myself for the right words…only to have them all come out in a brief burst of unfiltered anger."

"Donovan, I don't know if I believe what you're telling me."

"In _my_ defense, I sort of indirectly warned you that this would happen. It's like I said back on the Olympus, the lines between reality and fiction have been blurred into oblivion. Nothing that's occurred over that last week makes even a lick of sense, which is partly why it's so hard to explain."

Donovan slowly turned his gaze from the Hunter, too embarrassed to look her in the eyes, "I'm sorry for all of this; I never meant to be any trouble…I am a very nervous and uncertain person, one that's clearly bitten off a lot more than he can chew."

A moment of silent understanding filtered between the two companions, gradually taking over the coldness as they began to mentally reconcile. To the space warrior, it had become increasingly clear that she had not been the only victim of a harsh burdening. More and more, vague parallels began to surface between her and this young man she had unwillingly adopted as an apprentice. In a bizarre fashion, this outpouring of emotion and raw thoughts had caused her to develop a new respect for the novice who, although rarely sure of himself, would continually push his own boundaries further and further, if not for himself, for others.

…and that, at the very least, was worth something.

"Start at the beginning, Don." Samus finally prompted, her demeanor softening, "As far back as you can remember, as far back as my conception in your reality goes, I need you to explain it all."


	36. Chapter 36

"Sergeant Major," The young radar attendant called out over the noise of the control room, "We have a cluster of unidentified objects, south-east, four hundred miles out, inbound at six hundred sixty-seven knots."

An older gentleman marked by prestigious badges made his way over, frowning at the blinking lights onscreen, "Any large convoys of friendly aircraft in the area?"

"None sir, double checked and re-checked."

The man nodded, standing tall as he addressed the room, "Alright people, to your stations! I want fighters scrambled to intercept a.s.a.p. Something tells me those radar blips ain't friendly…and luckily, neither are we."

* * *

Silent silhouettes appeared on the horizon, stark against the setting sun as they grew. All around the massive property space, turrets fixated on the distant specks, ground troops and armor staring in anticipation as a pair of speedy aircraft soared to intercept the incoming objects.

"Vigil One, this is mission control; how's the weather lookin' up there?"

Bright streams of orange reflected off the pilot's wide visor as he reached for the com switch, promptly clearing his throat, "Nothin' but gorgeous clear skies up here, mission control. Those dark spots don't look any friendly from this height; they definitely ain't ours."

"Roger that, Vigil; return to base immediately."

The two agile aircraft took a hard turn left, maintaining their tight formation as they pulled a sharp 180', "Copy that, command; don't wait up on us. Vigil out."

On cue, a pair of fighter squadrons hastily took the recon team's place, blasting off towards the rapidly approaching alien force. The cluster's once obscure details quickly became more defined, the dark contour of two large wings singling out the group's leader.

The pirates had arrived.

"Oh yeah, those are baddies, alright." The leader of the first squad observed, "Alien through and through."

A swift and simple reply rattled through the coms, "Roger that, Copper Sting. You are free to engage."

"Copy, command. You heard 'em, boys; let 'em have it!"

Dozens of projectiles unloaded from the airborne fighters as they bravely charged headlong into the strife, striking true as they collided.

The ensuing calamity was nothing short of monstrous.


	37. Chapter 37

"…so that's it, basically; you're up to speed. You know everything now."

The air in the small ship had gone thick, so much so that one might've been able to cut through it with a knife. Donovan stood quietly, eyeing the Hunter patiently as she sat up against the wall, processing all that he had explained. There was no telling how she was going to react.

"It doesn't seem like you believe me." Don finally uttered, breaking the awkward silence.

"In every aspect of honesty, I certainly don't want to." The gallant space warrior replied, unable to meet the young man's eyes, "…but I know you wouldn't lie to me…I am your _idolized fictional character,_ after all."

The young man couldn't help his slight smile, "That, you are."

"I just don't know what to say…I've traveled lightyears through the black, battled enormous beasts and horrific parasites, but...nothing I've experienced even comes close to…well, _this_. There's no way you should be able to know everything that you do, but you know it anyway."

"I know more about you than even you care to remember."

Samus slowly lifted her gaze, the faintest smile creeping across her angelic face, "That, you do."

"_Approaching target destination," _The ship's computerized voice rang out,_ "ETA, two minutes."_

Donovan quickly snatched up his battered mask, offering the Hunter a hand up, "I suppose that's our cue."

"I would say so." the young lady replied, returning the gesture as she rose to her feet.

The two hastily made their way to the cockpit window, eyes widening in utter dismay as the lush green earth rolling beneath them gradually grew black. The hollowed out skeletons of what were once buildings and structures peppered the landscape, growing thicker and thicker as they neared the complex's center. Samus yanked on the controls, tilting the craft upwards, clearing the lip of a mountain only to set eyes on the calamity waiting on the other side. A swarm of pirate assault ships flew about, pocking the area with feral galvanic energy blasts, warding off the small remaining number of Earthly and Federation ships furiously retaliating. At the center of it all stood none other than that horrid space dragon, ripping and tearing away at what looked to be the most heavily-armored building in the lot. Hundreds of marauders filled the streets, demolishing military vehicles, scaling structures and setting the area ablaze, swiftly taking out any resistance attempting to make a stand.

"So, um…the usual?" Donovan asked semi-sarcastically.

"Hm, so you _are _catching on." Samus replied with a sly grin, engaging the ship's weaponry as they went in for an attack run. The bodies of half-shredded pirates tumbled and flew every which way as the craft tore through them with powerful cannon fire, speedily clearing a path towards Ridley…but not without consequence. Wave after wave of enemy ships quickly turned their attention to this new threat, letting loose with an endless ionized assault, forcing the Hunter's ship to pull out.

"Good Lord!" Donovan grunted, struggling to keep his footing through the tremors, "We can't cut through all that…not on our own. We need backup."

Almost as if in response to his statement, one of the larger pirate vessels suddenly erupted, showering the nearby units in flame and debris. Squads of Federation fighters blasted onto the scene, followed closely by a few destroyers and a large Federation starship.

"This is Commander Jonathan Hale of the G.F.S. Orion," a new voice sounded through the coms, "It's an honor to be fighting alongside you, Samus. Let's show 'em what we're made of!"

"…I suppose that's our cue." The space warrior echoed. In a daring move, she tilted the controls forward, engaging near full thrust as she cut down the line of weakened enemy forces, letting loose with a savage barrage as the ship shot straight for Ridley. The wretched beast, beaten by the abrupt aerial rounds, quickly reared his head, staring down the advancing ship with his only intact eye. In an instant, his enormous wingspan spread apart, taking him to the air just as the shiny yellow vessel flew past, swerving to miss him by mere feet. He immediately gave chase, coursing with an alien, reptilian fury. Blast after blast, scorching beams of bright orange energy erupted from the dragon's jaws, clipping and searing the craft's flank.

"Wow, you must've _really _pissed him off." Don commented, latching onto a nearby support handle.

"…says the one who unloaded a shotgun round into his left eye." The Hunter replied, nearly causing her companion to lose his balance as they took a sharp right turn, "He _knows_ you, now."

"Ok, fair enough. So, what's the plan? It wasn't until Smaug over here starting tailing us that I suddenly realized I have _no idea_ what we're doing."

"We need to draw him out and away from the device; he's vulnerable out in the open. That monster is priority number one for us, if we can manage to take him out, it may just give us the upper hand needed to win this."

"…and what about all the others facing off against that Soviet-sized legion of space gangsters?"

"Federation soldiers are resilient and stubborn; whatever the outcome, the pirates are not likely to escaped unscathed-"

A direct strike to one of the ship's thrusters cut the Hunter off, sending Donovan flying into the cockpit area. The vessel reacted violently, aileron rolling as it tilted downward, plummeting. The hellish dragon followed up with rapid successive strikes on the tumbling craft, relentlessly hammering the backside with unstoppable beams of torrid energy. Reefing on the controls, Samus forced the ship back into regular intervals, angling its nose upwards and leveling out, avoiding a harsh re-acquaintance with the ground.

"Ow, fuck a snake!" Donovan growled as another sudden tremor sent him headfirst into the lip of the control console, "…_really_ starting to regret half blinding him right about now."

"The propulsion system has sustained heavy damage." Samus explained, having just barely finished her sentence when another beam of sickly plasma struck them from behind, "We need somewhere to set down, there's no way we can keep flying like this."

She hastily reached for the com switch, opening the channel to the Orion, "Commander Hale, this is Samus Aran, requesting permission to dock. I have taken damage and cannot stay in the air for long."

"My pleasure, Ms. Aran," the man replied, echoing a familiar moniker, "Permission granted. A few fighters have been redirected to your aid…hang in there."

Endlessly pelted by Ridley's merciless beams, the Hunter's ship continued to weakly soar closer and closer to the large hangar, the internal console displays reddening more intensely with each passing second.

"We're going to make it…right?" the novice asked, his voice a little shaky.

"There's no way I'm letting us go down this easily," the space warrior replied, struggling against the controls, "Stay strong, Donovan."

The altitude controls seemed to be failing as the vessel continued to sustain damage, no more than a kilometer from the edge of the docking bay. The ruthlessly violent shakes, unrelenting as they were, threatened with each passing moment to tear the ship and its occupants apart…only to suddenly stop, without warning, without denouement. Before either Samus or her companion had time to wonder what had occurred, the unsightly reptile flew by the cockpit window, trailed closely by multiple federation fighters, their guns visibly heating up as they ferociously peppered the beast with laser fire.

A new voice broke through the channel, "This is squad Chief Van' Doren; we're a little beaten up but we've got your back. Godspeed, Samus Aran."

With the remaining strength in the craft's waning engine, the Hunter pushed forth, gliding the rest of the way past the open bay doors, skidding across the hangar floor, eventually grinding to a halt at the far end.

"We haven't a second to spare." the space warrior asserted, Varia suit materializing around her shapely form.

"Shame, I was just about to crack open a cold one." the young man quipped halfheartedly, following closely as they hurried out into the docking bay. They were immediately greeted by an engineer who motioned to a nearby fighter craft,

"Bird's warmed up and ready to fly, on the Commander's orders. I'll put my men to work on your ship right away."

Samus nodded, throwing a quick salute, "Your assistance is very much appreciated. Let Hale know I owe him one."

"Yes, ma'am…just take care of the ship now, she's our last one."

"Hit the deck!" came the startling shout of a nearby Federation trooper. Heads snapped and turned just in time to lay eyes on the incoming Federation destroyer, smoking and barreling uncontrollably towards the Orion. The sharp, eardrum-rupturing shriek of metal on metal emanated throughout as the large vehicle crashed, tearing up part of the hangar and destroying the nearby idling fighter. Pillars of smoke and flame billowed from the destroyer's wrecked frame, slowly beginning to fill the room.

The Hunter broke out into a sprint, dashing across the steel floor to the edge of the entryway, surveying the ceaseless chaos still going strong down below. She watched in utter dismay as the pirates took out another destroyer, proceeding to finish off what remained of Van' Doren's squad. Ridley remained in the center of it all, lashing out and blasting away at any human ships brave enough to get close. Samus's heart sank in tandem with the space dragon as his enormous wingspan retracted, sending him into an almost graceful freefall. Directly beneath the creature lay the heavily fortified building from earlier, whose demolition was soon to be resumed. With the force of a tumbling warhead, Ridley crashed onto the structure, sending large chunks of debris in various directions as he shattered its once formidable face.

"…God help us all…" Donovan breathed in disbelief, having just caught the end of it.

Moments later, the massive space pirate emerged with a large piece of unearthly technology grasped tightly in his claws. He slowly turned his fearsome head, emanating with one final scornful glare before flying off, followed by the many surviving marauders as they soared into the distance.

* * *

The mantel-shaking rumbles of the Orion's damaged thrusters sent vibrations throughout as they powered up to full, propelling the massive Federation starship forward. Solemn faces and silent lips were widespread amongst the crew, many of whom were quickly losing hope.

"Someone please tell me we have reinforcements." Donovan sighed, stressfully rubbing his forehead as he leaned against a wall.

"Both Federation and Earthly forces have been alerted to the stolen technology." Commander Hale replied, his gaze fixated beyond the bridge window, "If there's one thing we _do_ have in abundance, it's reinforcements."

"Thank God."

"Now it's a matter of who gets here first." The Hunter added, removing her helmet.

"…yeah, and hopefully before that odious lizard hits the switch."


	38. Chapter 38

A lengthy shudder rattled through the large pirate's spine, traveling down his wings and back again. He shivered, shrugging the various bits of strange otherworldly debris from his freshly armored shoulders. He was not one to care for temporal shift-travel, though he knew full well the extent of its usefulness. It was truly incredible just how many advantages could be had with the possession of a single device.

The new mechanical eye was immensely uncomfortable, though the dragon was thankful to once more have his full range of vision. Reinforcements had been sneakily positioned, stocked with supplies, weaponry and the element of surprise. The enemy had let their guard down; they thought they had won. The perfect storm was brewing, had come and had gone…and was still yet to occur. Ridley couldn't help but grin as he remembered the looks of horrified shock on the faces of the federation soldiers, delighted by the thought of being able to watch it all over again.

Hastily entering various combinations into the ruby red screen fixated on the reacquired device, the beast prepared to jump one last time. His facial expression quickly faded as thoughts of the Hunter and her loathsome tag-along crossed his mind. His heart began to steadily swell with a bold, feverishly frenetic anger.

Neither of them would live long enough to watch the sun set.


	39. Chapter 39

The President furrowed his brow as he leaned forward on his elbows, eyes drifting about the contents on his desk,

"…when did this occur?"

The finely dressed man before him cleared his throat, "The device was stolen only minutes ago; multiple Federation ships as well as local air force units are in hot pursuit."

"Tell me the Federation's machine is traceable."

"Yes sir, it is…although there appears to be a slight snag. Immediately after the tech was stolen, our sensors detected a brief gravitational anomaly in the area…the signal immediately went dark afterwards."

The man leaned in, lowering his voice, "This isolated space-time swell is not unlike the ones that were reported around the world moments before the emergence of those 'hidden' marauder squads earlier this week."

"Are you suggesting they are planning to bring in additional forces?"

"We are not sure, although it is certainly not outside the realm of possibility."

"Get our nukes and ICBM's primed and ready for launch." The President ordered, looking the man dead in eye as he rose from his desk, "We _cannot_ allow another fleet of malevolent aliens into our atmosphere."

"Yes sir, right away."


	40. Chapter 40

"What do you mean we _lost him?_" The Commander's voice took on a stern but worried tone.

"I mean we _lost him_." A stressed young officer curtly replied, "His heat and radio signals just dropped off the map. I can't get a bead on him."

The bridge occupants all exchanged worried glances. The anxious silence was suddenly interrupted by the crackling of the coms coming to life,

"G.F.S. Orion, this is Admiral Dane, do you read?"

The chief officer immediately took to the receiver, "This is Commander Jonathan Hale; what's the situation?"

"Son, we have ourselves one hell of a situation. We managed to triangulate on Ridley's signal, but he just disappeared off our sensors…we're afraid he may have jumped."

"We're seeing the same thing here on our end; no sign of him anywhere."

"Then our worst fears have been realized…tell your crew to-"

The man was suddenly cut off as an enormous crack sounded throughout the civil dusk with no clear point of origin. The noise shot through the conglomerate of Federation ships, rattling the vessels.

The bridge crew on the Orion all looked on with bewildered and horrified expressions as an enormous hole tore itself into existence, nearly blotting out the sky as it took over. A bright orange glow filtered in through the enormous gap, spilling out over every inch of the landscape like pseudo-sunlight. As the witnesses gradually adjusted to the sharp juxtaposition, what lay beyond became clear. A large planet sat just on the other side of the rip, glowing brightly from the light of its sun…and at the center of it all flew that dreaded dragon, the otherworldly device still clutched firmly in his large talons.

"…is that…?" Donovan trailed off.

"Stations, _now!_" Hale shouted, prompting the crew into action, "Get us the hell out of here!"

Thousands of pirate warships cascaded through the hole like roaring rapids, casting large shadows across the orange-lit earth. Frantically, the Federation force, tiny by comparison, fired up their engines, overtaxing their thrusters as they blasted off from the hellish insanity.

"Commander, we're picking up massive space-time anomaly readings in your area." Dane's voice once more crackled through, "What the hell is going on over there?"

"The whole damn pirate home world is pouring through!" Hale replied, issuing digital orders to the Orion's automated turrets, "We're severely outnumbered and need backup, now!"

"We're currently enroute to you, but our long-range communicators have sustained damage and are currently out of commission. I am granting your crew full permission to recall what remains of our forces. Establish contact with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United States Military as soon as possible…if they haven't already taken notice to what's happening, they're going to want to know."

"Yes, sir, right away."

Near the back, Donovan, white as snow, stumbled out through the bridge entryway, making it part way down the hall before falling into one of the walls, struggling to stay standing.

"Don, are you alright?" Samus called after him.

"This isn't happening…this isn't happening…" he murmured uncontrollably, rummaging for his flask, "…this isn't real…this can't be real…"

The Hunter quickly approached as the novice leaned back, chugging the remaining liquor.

"Donovan, stop!" she demanded, causing the flask to fall from his hand as she grabbed him by the shoulders.

"This can't be happening…this is insane…this is _fucking insane_…"

A sudden slap to the face shocked the young man into a dead silence.

"Donovan, listen to me: Breathe. You can't be useful if you don't calm down. Just…breathe."

He looked down, the color gradually returning to his face as he forced his lungs back into somewhat regular intervals.

In.

Out.

The space warrior peered into his eyes, searching for even a veneer of awareness, "Hey…you still with me?"

A thick silence hung between them.

"…yeah…I'll be alright."

"We'll get through this…there's always a way out."

"…how are we supposed to fight _that_?" Don asked, motioning in the direction of the bridge.

"I remember you saying something similar right before we assaulted that pirate outpost in the mountains…and here you stand, still in one piece."

"Yeah, because you blasted them all away and then saved my ass from that tumbling rubble. You're basically my personal Deus Ex Machina."

Another silence passed.

"Look…" Samus breathed, "Whether or not you think you're ready for this kind of undertaking is irrelevant. The fact remains that that enormous fleet of pirates is here _right now._ The war is here _right now. _Choosing not to fight is no longer an option. The only question now is: will you fight alongside us, or will you fight alone?"

Donovan looked off, pondering his few options. A steady dullness swept over his head as the alcohol began to take effect.

"…dying a lone wolf certainly isn't _ideal_…" he sighed, slowly looking back, "…and by your side, well…at least I'd be in good company."

The space warrior knelt, retrieving the nearly empty flask and handed it back, "Keep your head on straight, Donny."

The novice watched as Samus turned and made her way back to the bridge. Quickly slipping the container back into his pocket, he cleared his throat, adjusting his coat and armor before following suit.


	41. Chapter 41

Thick clouds of billowing flame erupted simultaneously from the thrusters of thousands of missiles as they took off, enroute to the apocalyptic pirate influx. All over the planet, as the governments and militaries of various countries became alerted to the horrific new development, they too prepared and launched their own pre-emptive strikes. Even from beyond the stratosphere, the hundreds of thousands of warheads were visible as they soared, leaving long trails of smoke in their wake. They blotted out the skies of many cities; in many ways, a strange beacon of hope for those looking on, knowing full-well what was at stake.

Never before in history had anything of the sort been witnessed; the whole of humanity banding together for the greater good…for it was either that, or extinction.

* * *

The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff watched with a sober expression as various notifications appeared on the enormous screen of the control room, alerting that every remaining ICBM had taken off. All that remained were the nuclear warheads.

"Nukes are primed and ready for launch." A nearby officer stated, "Waiting on your orders, sir."

The prestigious man continued to watch the flight paths onscreen, "Hold."

Those present could not sit still, many of whom paced the room as they watched the steady progress of the projectiles. Minutes passed, the red-highlighted point of the space-time anomaly showing increased dispersal of the alien forces as they relentlessly poured through. Many heads looked back and forth between the Chairman and the satellite display, pulses soaring as the many thousand red specks spread about, exploding in all directions.

"…sir?"

"_Hold._"

"Sir, permission to launch warheads?"

"_Hold!_" The Chairman reaffirmed sharply.

A distinct beeping suddenly began to sound off as multiple yellow dots appeared on the large screen, inbound from across the pacific.

One of the operators looked up from his screen, "Sir, inbound Chinese, North Korean and Russian ICBM's, five minutes out."

The Chairman smiled, "Those alien bastards picked the wrong planet. Maintain pressure, keep the warhead engines hot. Don't let 'em get near those fleeing Federation ships…they're one of us, now."


	42. Chapter 42

The shriek of laser cannon fire filled the outside air as the fleeing Federation gunships blasted away at their fast-approaching pursuers. The few surviving fighters flew about frantically, doing what they could to protect the flanks, but to little avail.

"Sir, we can't stay out here like this," a bridge officer informed Hale, "our shields are depleted, we're taking too much heat!"

"Stay the course!" the Commander replied, clutching the handrail on his post.

Alarms sounded off and screens flashed red as the electrified bolts of ferocious energy relentlessly pelted the Orion. Rumbles shook the vessel, threatening to rip it to pieces. Even from the bridge window, trails of smoke could be seen emanating from the fresh metal wounds in the hull. The Hunter and the novice watched solemnly from the back, pulses skyrocketing as tensions rose.

"Where are those damn reinforcements?!" one of the crew members groaned.

"Stay the course!"

"Sir, we've lost five of our rear turrets," another informed, "thrusters are taking damage."

"We are _not_ stopping!" Hale shouted.

"Sir, we may not have a choice!" stated one of the crewmen, eyes widening as various war vessels closed in on either side of the bridge. The view beyond the glass was quickly crowding, blotted out by the hideous alien vehicles preparing to strike. There was nowhere left to hide…

…nowhere left to run.

Suddenly, one of the pirate fighters exploded, tumbling like a falling star to the ground below. Heads snapped to see what had happened, but before they could process what had occurred, another pirate vessel erupted, and then another. Looking up, the bridge crew watched as projectiles rained down from above, seemingly out of nowhere, striking the attacking ships with pinpoint precision. One by one, the many trailing fighters dropped, their scorched remains gleaming in the golden-orange light of the colossal rip in the sky.

"Reinforcements have arrived!" the Commander proclaimed, smiling as Federation forces soared onto the scene, backed closely by hundreds of Earthly fighters, "Turn the ship around, it's time we payed those pirates their dues!"

The landscape shifted as the Orion turned hard, angling back towards the wormhole. Numerous squadrons of F16's blasted in from the north and Sukhoi Su-57's from the west, bee-lining for the still-vast incoming pirate forces. Far above, ICBM's soared. Thick packs of Federation fighters swooped in, dwarfed by the Olympus as it too soared in from the south, bringing with it even more reinforcements.

"This is Admiral Castor Dane of the Galactic Federation," The veteran's voice broke through the channel, "let's show these pirates what we can do! Fire at will!"

Cannon fire mixed with hundreds of thousands of missiles as weapons discharged from all sides, further lighting up the sky as they clashed.

"We need to close that portal," the Admiral stated across all frequencies, "If we don't, it could very well be the end of us!"

"Sir, if we don't reacquire the device, the only way to close the hole would be to destroy the machine!" other voices broke through.

"We'd be trapped here, sir!"

"We don't even know if we can rebuild one, yet!"

"Then make sure you get that damn gadget back in one piece!" Commander Hale chimed in, turning his attention back to his crew, "We may be a little beaten, but we're not done fighting yet. I think it's about time we paid Ridley a visit."

"Sir, what's the plan?" one of the warrant officers asked.

"Listen up! Target Ridley with precision shots; _do not_ hit that device. Once they start falling, send a retrieval squad and use the electromagnets to snatch the machine before it hits the ground. Understood?"

"Aye, sir!"

"We've got a clear shot at him, full speed ahead!"

Angling upwards, the Orion shot forth with all its remaining strength, accompanied by a few squads of Federation fighters as they flew above the commotion. Many enemy ships began to follow suit, only to be intercepted and warded off by the escorts and a squad Su-57's. Drawing the majority away with missile and laser fire, their numbers were quickly cut down by a powerful pirate destroyer and its own squadrons moving for the Orion. Explosions rocked the battered Federation ship as it struggled to stay in the air.

"I don't think this is the best idea!" Donovan piped up.

"Sir, we're taking too much flak, we need to break off!" one of the navigators shouted over the noise.

"Dammit! Break off!" the Commander ordered.

Sharply angling down, the ship diverted its course, losing the formidable pirate ship as they dipped out of the way.

"Sir, what do we do?"

"This is Commander Jonathan Hale broadcasting on all frequencies!" the man announced across the channels, "All units with precision weaponry, target that space dragon, aim for wings, _avoid the device! _Anyone with midair retrieval capabilities, keep a sharp eye out! When the beast falls, so too will the machine."

Without warning, Samus quickly turned and left the bridge.

"Whoa, hey, wait up!" Donovan called out, sprinting after her. He trailed closely as the Hunter entered the damaged hangar, approaching an engineer still working on the repairs for her ship.

"We're not finished quite yet." The man explained, "The heating core is spent and the thrusters are only half-responsive."

"Can it fly?" Samus asked impatiently.

"Technically, yes, but I wouldn't recommend it-"

"Don, get in."

"W-wait, what?" the novice stammered.

"We're going, _now._"

"…but the ship-"

"Do you want to save your planet, or not?!" the space warrior demanded.

Putting on a look of determination, the young man speedily slipped on his mask and followed, climbing aboard. The engineers hastily panned out as the labored growls of the ship's thrusters sounded off, lifting the vessel from the hangar floor before soaring into the menacing orange glow. The glare of the space-time rip filtered in through the cockpit window as they entered the sheer madness, dipping and swerving in and out of the various lines of fire as they made their way up and out of the thrashing swarm. The howl of pirate fighter engines pierced the plasma-filled air as small splinter groups pursued the golden yellow ship, quickly falling away as they were shot down by a squadron of Federation ships speedily gaining on them.

"We'll follow you to the target, Samus," the leader's voice broke through, "The second he lets go of that machine, we'll swoop right in; our magnets will do the rest."

The space warrior nodded, overcharging her ship as she pressed hard on the thrust. The vessel hastened its pace, shaking consistently as the machinery attempted to hold itself together. Heedless of the peppering plasma bolts, the small group shot for the sickly beast who flew far above, drawing continuous attention from the ravenous marauders as they poured relentlessly through. Closer and closer, they flew. The Hunter glanced over at her unusually quiet partner, taking notice to the look of calm steadfastness fixed behind his cracked visor. He looked over, meeting her eyes,

"It's been an honor to fight along side you, Samus."

Closer.

"The honor was mine, Donovan."

Closer, still.

The dragon looked.

"Target in range!" the squad's leader called out, immediately followed by a loud crack as his ship exploded, incinerated in an instant by a bright beam of energy from Ridley's jaws. Without hesitation, the space warrior's ship let loose with a sharply aimed volley, missing the beast by mere feet. The others mirrored her actions as they too fired off their respective shots, aiming for the enormous pirate's wings. Ridley immediately dove, spinning to avoid the onslaught of the fighters right on his tail. Dropping faster and faster towards the fray, the dragon released his wingspan, using his momentum to swing sharply back up, passing his pursuers before they had the chance to turn around and follow.

"He's gonna lose us!" Don growled.

"…no, he isn't." Samus assured, pulling hard on the controls.

"Regroup, regrou-" the voice of one of the accompanying pilots crackled through before suddenly cutting out.

An explosion sounded through the commotion close by, followed only seconds later by many more as the nearby Federation ships were taken out, having drifted too close to the insanity below. Before the Hunter had time to react, the frame of the vessel was rocked by a powerful strike to the left side, sending them barreling into an aileron roll.

"Whoa!" Donovan exclaimed as he held on for dear life, "We can't stay out here like this!"

Another hellish crunch emanated through the hull as the dragon came back around for another run, blasting away at the armor before slamming his whole body into the battered space vehicle. Samus reefed on the controls, managing to level out their trajectory just enough that they were heading back towards the Orion.

"Commander Hale," she called out into the open channel, "requesting permission to dock."

"Permission granted. Any other special requests, Ms. Aran?" the man replied.

"Seal the hangar doors."

"Right away."

"Wait, what are you doing?" the novice asked.

"Hold on to something, Don!" The Hunter replied, increasing the thrust once more. Coupled with another vicious strike from Ridley, the golden ship shot forward, smoke and flame billowing from its backside as they flew towards the Orion's docking bay, the massive blast doors gradually sliding shut.

"Are you serious?" the young man exclaimed, "This kind of shit only works in action films!"

"_That's_ where you're wrong."

With mere seconds remaining, the ship slipped through the small space, followed immediately by Ridley. With hardly enough room to spare, the dragon clipped the hangar entryway just before it sealed, sending him spiraling out of control as he careened into the thick door on the far end. Activating the reverse thrusters, Samus forced her vessel to a halt, hovering a short distance from where the beast laid.

"Let's blast this monstrosity to Kingdom come!" Donovan put forth, triumphantly.

Before the final shot could be fired, the dragon lifted his beaten head, dizzily unleashing a powerful energy beam from his half-mechanical maw, slashing across the face of the floating yellow ship. Staggering from the hit, the fighter drifted back into one of the walls before losing its strength, falling hard to the hangar floor.

"Don, dismount!" Samus exclaimed, snatching her half-stunned partner by the arm and yanking him to the elevator shaft. The two stared Ridley down as they quickly rose out of the ship, readying their weapons as the beast slowly stood, scooping up the dimension-splicing device with his tail.

"Now!" the Hunter shouted as she and Don ducked out of the way of another oncoming blast. The dragon galloped towards them, simultaneously attempting to crush and incinerate the two as he leaped and slammed into the floor where they once stood, scorching the metal with another shot. The space warrior and the novice split up, sprinting on either side of the creature, firing off like mad as they worked to weaken the vile pirate. Though still disoriented, Ridley fought as ferociously as ever, spinning, sweeping and dodging, unleashing blast after blast, swipe after swipe. Don gritted his teeth as a few of the torrid beams managed to snag him here and there. The pain was not worth giving time to. Heedless of the savage slashing and searing energy, Samus pressed on, discharging slews of missiles on the beast, watching with satisfaction as the kinetic impacts knocked the monster back and forth. The thick, malodorous smoke spilling out from the Hunter's ship steadily filled the hangar, gradually dampening the light from the piercing bulbs up above. Growing frustrated with his inability to see clearly, Ridley began firing off shots at random, illuminating the areas around him that were impacted. Don hit the deck, rolling and dodging about as he narrowly avoided the strikes. Seeing an opportunity, Samus powered up one of her only super missiles and fired, scoring a direct hit on the dragon's body. The beast bellowed as he reared up, letting out an infuriated roar, preparing a counterattack.

"Don, get to cover!" the Hunter shouted through the smoke.

A powerful orange and yellow glare set the clouds aglow as Ridley let loose with a long, continuous stream of blistering plasma, disfiguring the area around him as the unrelenting beam ripped across the floor. He turned, burning everything around him in a desperate attempt to ward off his now invisible foes. Donovan jumped and scrambled back blindly through the smoke, hoping to find something to put between him and complete bodily annihilation. Just as he was beginning to think he would be safe, Ridley's beam on its random path drew dangerously close, missing the young man by a foot or two, only to hit what was once the fuel cell for a starfighter lying nearby. The resulting explosion sent the novice flying through the polluted air, his body leaving a small trail of smoke from the blast.

"Don!" Samus called out as she watched her friend soar off, his shouts of fright silencing with a distant, sickening thud.

The beast leaped into the air and stretched out his wings, bringing them down hard as he landed, blowing away a large portion of the smoke, leaving a clearing just big enough to reveal himself and his old adversary.

"At long last…" the creature snarled, "…it is just you and I."

Ridley jumped forward, slashing and blasting away at the gallant space warrior who readily returned fire. The two clashed with ever increasing ferocity, neither able to gain the upper hand as shots were landed on either side. The dragon snapped and bit and clawed at the Hunter as she unleashed her grapple lasso, snagging him by the snout. Multiple charged blasts were landed as the creature desperately attempted to remove the meddlesome human, slashing and stabbing with the blade on the end of his tail, until finally once more catching the space warrior, this time on the side of the head. Samus staggered back, trying her best to regain her bearings but before she could, the monstrous space pirate lunged, pinning her to the floor with a single claw. She struggled fiercely but could not seem to break free…the beast's iron grip was simply too much. The Hunter refused to give up, even as Ridley's jaws began to glow. Samus watched helplessly as that telltale orange and yellow grew ever brighter...

**_…no…_**

…ever brighter…

**_…more…_**

…ever brighter.

**_…fear._**

The beast then noticed peripheral movement. He turned to look, and was suddenly met with excruciating agony as a lone machete flew in, blinding him on the right as it lodged itself in his only remaining organic eye. A shriek of pain erupted from within the monster as he fell back, Samus still clutched tightly in his claws. He hastily reached up and pulled out the weapon, belligerently throwing it back into the cloud from which it came, proceeding to unleash his charged shot in the same direction. The powerful attack impacted a piece of machinery a little ways away, causing another explosion. The light of the blast illuminated a familiar silhouette standing in the smoke.

Samus couldn't help but smile as Donovan slowly walked out from the cloud, cloak half burnt off, mask half destroyed, body still smoking from the scorch marks. The young man grabbed what remained of his mask and pulled it off, throwing it to the side. He reached out, pointing at Ridley accusingly,

"Let her go, you knockoff Jabberwocky!"

The dragon, coursing with fiery rage, ferociously threw the Hunter to the side, sending her into the far wall. Donovan strode forward, snatching up his soaking machete and drawing his shotgun, taunting the fast approaching beast,

"Come on, come on, _come on!_"

Ridley mirrored his actions from before, letting out a piercing war cry as he leaped into the air, missing the young man who ducked and rolled out of the way of his furious slash. Don speedily stood back up, retaliating with two successive shotgun blasts before being rejoined by the space warrior. The desperate fighting quickly resumed as the two pelted the creature with weapon fire, doing everything they could to avoid being crushed. Eventually, despite the lack of depth perception, Ridley took a wild, hard swing, managing to strike Samus with the back of his claw, briefly knocking her to the side. He once more turned his attention to Donovan, who had reloaded his shotgun and was hastily drawing his revolver. He backed up as he unloaded, further aggravating the beast as he menacingly crawled closer.

"Die!" the massive pirate growled as he prepared to fire, only to be stopped by the sudden heavy flak of Samus's battered ship. Donovan looked over, laying eyes on the space warrior who stood defiantly beneath the half-wrecked vessel, guns blazing red. Even through the powerful cannon discharge, Ridley managed to release a shot, blowing a hole in the far-off blast doors.

"Don, grab my hand!" Samus shouted, reaching out for her companion as the dragon took off. Don ran and jumped, catching the Hunter's free hand as she latched her lasso to the open hatch beneath her ship, pulling them both up into the hull as the fighter flew towards the gaping, smoldering hole. The painful orange glare from the wormhole again spilled into the cockpit as they returned to the horror in the sky. Not far off soared Ridley, easily distinguished, even amongst the utter chaos. The dragon began to pull a gradual 180, rearing back towards the Hunter's ship, letting loose with multiple blasts as he attempted to shoot them down. A few of the shots hit, the incessant beeping within the cockpit harshly reminding its occupants of its poor, beaten state. Samus pulled up on the controls, forcing the ship to climb.

"Where are we going?" Donovan asked, "We need to land!"

"We are." The Hunter replied, smoothing out the trajectory once they were above the Orion. A couple more powerful blasts rattled the ship as Samus angled downwards, hitting a switch opening the bottom hatch.

The young man's eyes widened, "Um, what are you doing?"

The space warrior rose from her seat, pulling Donovan along, "Jumping."

"Wait, what-?"

Before the novice had time to protest, the Hunter pulled him close and allowed them to drop through the opening, encasing them both as she activated her suit's morphball. The two fell silently, landing hard on the Orion and splitting apart as the morphball deactivated. The golden yellow ship flew silently beyond the lip of the large vessel, disappearing from view as it dipped downwards.

"For crying out loud, _warn me _next time." Don groaned, drawing his weapons as Ridley swooped in, shredding the metal armor plates as he landed, grinding to a halt. Samus quickly aimed and fired off her last super missile, striking the beast in the chest, causing him to stumble back before leaping from the edge of the ship, spreading his wings as he took flight. The marauding dragon flew around the Orion, circling the vessel like a bird of prey, spitting blasts of plasma at the Hunter and her partner.

"What's the plan?" Donovan shouted over the commotion.

"Help me draw him in, I've got an idea!"

The young man aimed and went to fire, only to realize his revolver ammo was completely spent. Holstering the gun, he snatched up his grapple and rope.

"What are you _doing?_" Samus demanded.

"Keep shooting," Don replied, unfolding the hook as he ran off, "I know what I'm doing!"

Sprinting as fast as his legs would allow, the novice ran in tandem with Ridley's flight path, drawing the vile creature's attention. Samus relentlessly fired upon the winged serpent, landing as many shots to his wings as possible. Closer and closer the dragon flew. Donovan began to twirl the grapple in his hands, waiting for the just the right moment. The endless blasts spewed from the pirate's mouth closed in on him fast, striking nearer with each passing second.

Finally, the moment came.

Donovan threw the grapple with all the strength he could muster, just barely managing to snag a piece of Ridley's armor. He was immediately and violently tugged along, taking flight along with the dragon, himself.

"Don!" Samus cried out, never resting as she continued to fire at the merciless beast. The young man gritted his teeth as he desperately pulled himself along, grasping the rope as hard as he could. Ridley spun, ducked and wove viciously in an attempt to throw him off, but the novice continued on. Climbing ever nearer, Donovan passed the dimension-splicing machinery still wrapped tightly in the creature's tail, pulling himself along up the serpent's back. Ridley spun with even greater vigor, leveling out only briefly after some stray flak struck him in the side, blowing off a few bits of armor. Using this opportunity, Don climbed to the beast's neck, fighting the rushing wind with all his might as he unsheathed his machete, letting out a hellbent war cry as he glowed in the intensity of the orange light. Ridley glanced back for a split second before dive-bombing full tilt right into the Orion, accidentally slamming headfirst into the metal, sending Don flying off.

The novice grunted and yelped as he bounced and rolled across the hard exterior before finally coming to a halt a moment later. He slowly opened his eyes to see Samus's outstretched hand. He smiled weakly as she helped him up, both turning their attention to the injured space dragon. Ridley slowly got up and stumbled forward, discombobulated from the crash. He growled and snarled, taking slow, pained steps towards his adversaries, his jaws once more beginning to glow.

"Don…behind me."

A powerful bright blue began to radiate from within the Hunter's cannon. The beast stepped closer, the orange and yellow within him becoming more and more intense. Samus stood her ground, bracing herself as her weapon began to shake.

Then, there was only light.

The brazen glow of the slowly closing wormhole casted Ridley's charred form into silhouette as it silently fell, impacting the earth far below.


	43. Chapter 43

A gentle breeze blew across the water, blowing about the many leaves on the long grey wooden dock. The quiet flick of a lighter set the cheap cigar in Don's hand alight as he proceeded to take a drag, blowing a thin cloud into the crisp air. He sighed deeply, simply content.

"I didn't realize you smoked." Samus commented, joining by his side.

"Yeah, well…_not until the fat lady sings._"

The Hunter bore a look of absolute confusion, "Your slang is ever-perplexing."

"Yeah, it has the tendency to do that." Don chuckled, "It's only going to get worse from here on in, just warning you now."

"Oh, _joy_."

"Y'know, I'm actually mild compared to some people."

"…_really?_"

"Yeah."

There was a brief pause.

"That is a horrifying thought."

Donovan let out a laugh, "I thought you'd say something like that."

The space warrior found herself gripped by a slight smile, turning her eyes back to the calm icy lake. The two stood in silence for a moment, neither one wanting to shatter the peace. Such a thing could only truly be appreciated after having marched through Hell and back.

"So…" Don finally said, "…what now?"

The expression on Samus's face quickly faded, "…I'm not sure."

"I mean, you guys can build another one, can't you? Another machine to take you home?"

"That entirely depends on whether they were able to reverse-engineer the design in time. Without those blueprints, there's no telling how long it could take for us to recreate the device…we might not _ever_ be able to figure it out."

"They're not mad at you, are they? Y'know, for destroying the thing in the blast?"

"I have explained to them the circumstances…their bitter discontentment, though, is still quite apparent."

Donovan rolled his eyes, "Yeah, well, the next time they need to rip a wormhole machine out of the claws of an angry space dragon, they can feel free to show us just how easy it is."

Samus couldn't help her grin, "I'll make sure to tell them that."

The young man chuckled, letting another puff out into the air.

"There _is_ a bright side to this, however…" the Hunter resumed.

"Oh?"

"Though we may be trapped here for some time, your planet _is_ quite beautiful…perhaps you could show me around?"

Immediately, Donovan's face lit up, "Yeah! Yes, _absolutely!_"

He quickly threw down the cigar butt, snuffing it out beneath his boot before turning to leave, "Get in the ship, we are going to Paris!"

"Lead the way, _fearless leader._" the space warrior teased.

"Was…was that…was that sarcasm that just came out of your mouth?" the young man asked before quickly motioning for her to come along, "Come on, you drop-dead gorgeous beauty, we got a whole new adventure ahead of us, _let's go!_"

A bright smile took over Samus's gentle features as she followed her ecstatic friend to the freshly refurbished golden-yellow ship, engines humming warmly as it waited patiently on the shore.


End file.
